


You Need A Teacher...Let Me Be That Teacher

by amazonstorm



Series: The Fall of Rey [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark Rey, Emperor Hux, F/M, I love this pairing, I'm officially trash, Knights of Ren - Freeform, Knights of Ren!Rey, My First Work in This Fandom, This is a long one, hate ship ahoy!, one off Hux/Rey, one sided hux love for rey, politics and intrigue and lots of interesting stuff, possessed kylo, rey falls to the dark side, this is my first fic for them, this is what happens when Sith fall in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-09 01:20:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 100
Words: 111,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5520158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amazonstorm/pseuds/amazonstorm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU: What if Rey took Kylo Ren up on his offer to be her teacher?  And what if, after that, they fell in love?  A villain-centric love story, that's what happens.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I Can Show You The Ways of The Force

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After completing the original version of this story, I decided to go back and re-read it and upon rereading I realized that the first five chapters don't really fit with the rest of the story and are FULL of plot holes. So, they're going to be changed and rewritten so they fit more in line with the story. 
> 
> Special thanks to Juulna for playing beta reader/idea springboard (this was her idea in the first place).

“You need a teacher!” Kylo Ren’s tone was pleading and insistent and it was enough to catch Rey off guard, but not enough to get her to lower her lightsaber. She was not about to die here.

She managed to push him back and kept her saber up. “What…” She stared into wild, unfocused eyes. “…what did you say?"

“You’re strong in the Force, but untrained. Unrefined. I can show you the ways of the Force. I can teach you…help you realize your true potential."

“Why do you want to help me?” She moved to slash at him again, only for him to block her blows, alternating between trying not to lose an arm and pounding on his wounds. Kylo Ren would not be bested by this girl. “Why should I even let you help me?"

“Because I see great potential in you…potential it would be a shame to let go to waste.” His tone was a bit calmer, but there was something very vulnerable in his voice. Something he was trying hard not to let show.

“And if I say no? Are you going to kill me?"

“Search your feelings, girl. If I wanted you dead, you would be already.” He was struggling to stay on his feet now, but it was try to convince her now or let her go. And the last thing he wanted to do was to let her go. “But know this: I don’t want to kill you. You can either defeat me here or someone else will come along…and they won’t be nearly as willing to take you alive as I am. They don’t feel the same way about you that I do."

His confession shook her to her core.

“What do you have to lose? I’ve been in your head. You have nothing to go back to. Nowhere to call home. Come with me and I will give you all of that.”

The planet underneath them lurched. He turned off his saber and held his hand out to her.

She looked into eyes that were both crazed and sincere. His face was dripping blood from the scar she’d given him.

“What do you have to lose?” He repeated.

Finn was probably dead. Han was dead. God knows what happened to Chewbacca. Her family was never coming back for her. And Jakku was a place she never wanted to return to. Everyone had hid things from her or lied to her (although she could forgive Finn because she could see why he didn’t want to admit he’d been a Stormtrooper), but Kylo Ren had not. He didn’t hide who he was with her, even if the truth was more brutal than she could handle. He had been completely honest with her, even when going into her head, and now, here he was, offering to teach her about a power she didn’t understand and couldn’t explain.

The idea of going to the Resistance scared her. So did the idea of going to an unknown teacher in Luke Skywalker who could probably reject her and force her to carve out an existence on the edges, a life probably no different from the one she’d always known. But on the other hand, so did the idea of going with a man she had just called a monster not an hour ago, who had beaten Finn and left him in the snow and shoved a lightsaber through Han Solo. And yet, this man was pleading with her. He wanted her as herself, something she’d never experienced before.

“Why didn’t you kill me?” She asked.

“I told you. I don’t want to kill you. I want to teach you. Come with me. Let me show you the ways of the Force."

Turning off her saber and feeling like she had either saved herself or dammned herself, she took his hand.

If he had had the energy left in him to do so, he would have smiled. The girl was his. He would show her the power of the Dark Side, show her all that she could be.

And in doing so, perhaps it would calm the raging storm she had kicked into motion inside of his heart.


	2. The Journey Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm going to be honest, the originally posted draft of this absolutely SUCKED and probably because I wrote it on Christmas eve and in a rush.
> 
> Thank god for chapter editing.

Any joy Kylo Ren might have felt over managing to draw Rey to his side was quickly scuttled by pain. His adrenaline finally ran out and he collapsed in the snow, almost pulling her down with him.

“Are you alright?” She sounded panicked. “What’s wrong?"

“You put up quite a fight.” He was half smiling. “I’m…very impressed.”

She remembered the blood in the snow, him pounding on his wounds. He must have been in a lot of pain. “What should I do?"

“Help me get to my command shuttle.” He wheezed. “Quickly now, or we will both die."

Part of her wanted to leave him there. Let him suffer. She wanted to hate him. She shouldn’t have accepted his offer. But at the same time, she was out of options. Rey had made her choice and it was time to live with it.

Hauling the half limp Kylo Ren to his shuttle had been no easy feat, and Rey would never be able to remember how she’d done it, but she’d somehow managed to do it. Of course, she’d had to knock off a couple of stormtroopers, but that really didn’t bother her.

Once she had managed to get the shuttle into the air and off Starkiller Base, she turned her attention to him. He was rather badly wounded and somehow still functional.

As she set about getting some medical supplies (the command shuttle was surprisingly well stocked), he floated in and out of unconsciousness, sometimes moaning in pain, sometimes trying to talk. Whenever he tried to speak, Rey shushed him.

“Save your energy and your lessons for when you’ve healed.” She told Kylo Ren. “You need to rest.” She was surprised she was fussing over someone she had called a monster and killed someone before her eyes, but at this point, her options were limited.

She had to strip him out of his clothing so she could get a good look at his wounds. It was by some miracle that he wasn’t dead because of Chewbacca’s bowcaster shot. In fact, while it had left him bleeding, it was not nearly as bad as it had looked from her point of view. So, once she had bandaged that wound up, she turned her attention to the one Finn had left on his sword arm.

Kylo Ren woke up again at this point and he moaned in pain.

Rey grabbed a painkiller shot out of the medi-kit and shoved it into his arm. “This will ease your pain until we can get you somewhere safe.” She told him.

“Why are you taking care of me?"

“Because I made my choice to follow you and unfortunately, I’m out of options. So it would be very helpful if you don’t die.” She managed to bandage the wound on his arm as well. She then turned her attention to his face, where she’d left a very nasty scar during their confrontation. She soaked a cloth in warm water and wiped the dried blood and sweat away from his face. She was surprised by how young he looked. Had she really called someone so young a monster? Hard to think of him as a monster when she was stuck in a shuttle with him and trying to treat him.

He roused briefly as she was cleaning his face and she found herself staring into dark eyes that regarded her with curiosity and respect. “…your name…” He murmured, very out of it. “…what is your name?"

“Rey.” She told him. “My name is Rey."

A long, slow blink. “…that’s a pretty name.” Okay, he was definitely out of it. Probably the pain medicine.

“You never told me your name.” She remembers whispers of Ben and Han calling him that, but she had a feeling if she called him by that name, her trip would be over.

“They call me Kylo Ren.” He was sleepy again. He studied her face with unfocused eyes. “…Thank you."

“For what?"

He didn’t answer, pain finally dragging him back into unconsciousness.

She sat by his side for the longest moment, carefully tending his face. As she got up to go splash some water on her face, a loud noise startled her. It was his lightsaber, which had just hit the floor.

She contemplated leaving it there.

But something compelled her to pick it up….the same something that had compelled her to pick up Luke’s lightsaber. Carefully, she picked it up, only for the command shuttle to suddenly fade away. She saw a woman dressed all in black with a mask covering her face. The bridge of a massive ship. She heard a whisper of a name. She saw herself on a boat with him and then, she saw a large shadowy figure.

Suddenly, the shuttle lurched and Rey hit the floor, the lightsaber hilt clattering away from her.

She stood up very slowly and tried to stumble her way to the controls, only for a hand to reach out and grab her wrist.

She nearly screamed, but a rough voice stopped her. “What did you see?"

He was awake.

“What?” She asked.

“You had a vision.” Kylo looked at her. “Tell me what you saw."

“How do you know I had…"

“I can tell.” He sat up, with some difficulty and let go of her wrist. “Here is your first lesson. The Force is an energy field. It surrounds us and binds the universe together. Some of us can manipulate the Force around us. It was what enabled you to get into my head and me into yours. It was what gave you that vision. And because of a tremor in the Force, I know you had a vision. So tell me, Rey…what did you see?"

“Nothing important. A ship. A woman dressed in black.” She looked at him. “You. None of the images made sense."

“Sometimes that happens. I’ve had visions like that. They don’t make sense until they happen. You will see in time."

Now that he was more conscious again, she asked him something she should have asked him beforehand. “Where are we going?"

“To my ship, the _Finalizer_.” He replied. “And then, I will introduce you to my master."

“Your master?"

“Supreme Leader Snoke. He trained me. He’s very interested in meeting you."

“He knows about me?” Rey was a little horrified. “When did you ever have time…"

“When you forced yourself in my head, I went to him. I asked for permission to train you and he would like me to bring you to him. Which I will, as soon as you are ready.” A pause. “But his original idea was to just to kidnap you. I wanted you to come willingly."

“Why?"

“Because you fascinate me."

She stared at him blankly.

“Is that so hard to believe? It’s been a long time since I’ve met someone else like me. You…you…I can’t explain what it is about you, but you fascinate me.”

“But…but I’m no one.” She murmured. “I’m nobody.” She could feel something coming off him. It was different from his anger, his rage, his fear. “Why would I ever interest you?"

“Because no one has ever fought me before. No one ever escaped from me before. No one’s ever resisted me before. And like I said, it has been a very long time since I met someone who could use the Force like I could.”

The honesty in his eyes scared her a little bit, and so did the way was making her feel. He looked at her the way no one else ever had: as though she was important. Suddenly, she realized what that emotion she was feeling from him was: attraction…no, desire. He wasn’t just fascinated by her…he was attracted to her.

“I need to sit down.” She said, abruptly, turning and heading for the pilot seat. She had to get away from him, had to stop looking at him. She needed to think, to process, to….try to take in all she’d just learned.


	3. Breaking Down The Walls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter basically got expanded from its original draft. I also added a much needed part in which Rey calls Kylo Ren out on what he did to her and him admitting he was wrong. I really like how the revision turned out.

_Don’t be afraid._

_I feel it too._

 

Rey thought the silence of the shuttle would help her clear her mind, help her come to grips with all that had happened in the past 2 days or so. But instead it just made her more confused.

The silence only made her thoughts more deafening. She wasn’t sure what to make of his confession. He’d kidnapped her, strapped her to a chair, invaded her head and now he had the audacity to tell her she “fascinated him”. How was she supposed to react to him telling her that after all he’d done?!

She briefly considered just forgetting this entire thing and bailing, but she knew she had no place to go back to. There was no running from this. And Rey had never been one for running from her problems.

Trying to calm herself down, she closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. She tried to focus herself, only for her to realize something. She could sense him, through this…Force. She could feel his pain, and his calmness (probably all the medicine she’d pumped him with), but most importantly his presence. It loomed large in her mind without outright overwhelming it And that just terrified her.

 

 

_So…._ His voice was in her head now. _You’ve figured out that we’re connected._

_What are you doing in my head? Haven’t you violated me enough for one day?_

_You’re still angry about that, I see._

_Why shouldn’t I be? I don’t even know why I am listening to you or bothering to learn from you when you kidnapped me, tied me to a chair and then invaded my mind!_

He sounded a little dumbfounded. _So, that did hurt you more than I thought…._

Abruptly (although she wasn’t sure how) cutting the connection, Rey got up and stormed into the back of the command shuttle where Kylo Ren lay, looking up at the ceiling. He turned his head to look at her when she made her presence known.

“You should know I took no pleasure into going into your mind.” He said. “I did it out of necessity. I had orders. They must be followed."

“If you took no pleasure, then you shouldn’t have done it. BB-8 was nearby. So why take me?”

He was not used to being questioned and he bristled a little bit. “I thought you were an easier find, that’s all. And you should know that going into the mind is not an easy task and it hurt me the way it did you. That’s why I told you not to be afraid. I felt what you were feeling. I felt your pain and suffering and it only grew once you forced yourself into my head."

“I should hate you.” She spat.

“You should.” He agreed. “You still think I’m a monster.” A pause. “If you want to end this partnership, I won’t stop you. I won’t force you to stay. I will at least be honest with you about that. Your’e right. I did hurt you and no amount of apologies can take it back."

His surprising honesty pricked at her. “Why are you telling me all this?"

He looked up at her then, eyes intense and dark and his gaze sent shivers down her spine. “Because you deserve the truth. And you deserve to be told your anger has a place. If I were a lesser man, I would brush off your concerns. But as far as I am concerned when it comes to you, I am not a lesser man.” A pause. “And because this is your second lesson. About the Dark Side of the Force. It is powered by powerful emotions: lust, hatred, fear, pain, and above all else, anger. Your anger towards me gives you power. You can feel it, can’t you? The surge? The hatred flowing through you? That is the Dark Side."

She could feel it. Her rising anger, the hatred and disgust she felt at being so violated and stripped. It made her feel incredible. Like she could easily tear the ship apart.

He closed his eyes. “Yes…you can feel it. And I can feel it coming off of you.” He decided to challenge her. “What do you want to do to me?"

That was probably a bad question to ask, because a few seconds later, he felt the Force tighten its grip around his throat. Her hand was outstretched and there was anger in her eyes. He gasped for air as she continued to squeeze.

And then, just as suddenly, she let go. She backed up.

Kylo Ren took a deep breath.

“I’m….I’m sorry.” Rey gasped.

“Don’t be.” He told her. “I deserved that because I was wrong.” He could feel it. The Dark Side was taking hold of her.

Rey was torn somewhere between being in awe of what had just transpired and being terrified of her own power. She had acted on an angry impulse and nearly choked him. And yet, she felt strangely better for doing so.

“You…” She said, backing away from him. “…you should sleep.” And with that, she turned and left the small room for the cockpit where she could be alone with her thoughts.

He didn’t try to stop her.

 

 

A day or so later, he reached out to her via their Force Bond. _Rey?_ He sounded hesitant. _Can you hear me?_

_Yes._ She still couldn’t bring herself to face him.

_Come here. I want to see you._

She almost refused him. She wanted to stay locked up in the cockpit for as long as possible, but she also knew she had to face him eventually…and face up to what she’d done. So, she rose from her chair and headed to the back of the shuttle where he lay. He was awake and seemed to be a bit stronger.

At the sight of him, her breath caught a little, which she found strange, but then she realized in her anger, she’d been ignoring her attraction to him. She hadn’t had time to get a good look at him in the interrogation room or in the aftermath of Starkiller base, but she remembered being struck by how handsome he was…and she found herself being even more stuck by that handsomeness when he wasn’t trying to kill her.

His hair was a mess and that scar on his face looked like it was healing alright, but his face was otherwise as handsome as ever. He sat up to greet her and she noticed the bandages on his torso needed changing.

She was now very confused. This man confused her. After all he had done, he had still offered her a chance to learn. He’d let her take her anger out on him and admitted he was wrong. She knew he was attracted to her and, although she was loathe to admit it at the moment, she was just as attracted to him. It was hard to believe a monster wore such a handsome face. And it was harder to believe that she was attracted to him.

Trying to distract herself from staring, she went over to get some fresh bandages.

“When you said you could take whatever you wanted, did you mean me?” The question slipped out before she could stop it.

“I meant the map.” He wasn’t about to tell her the truth…about that secret urge the Dark Side had nurtured…the urge to take her as his prize. He refused to give into it.

“Sit up.” She instructed and changed his bandages. It would be a while before he’d be able to be be seen by a proper medi-droid. So, they had to do things the old fashioned way. She knew he wasn’t telling her the truth. She could almost sense it. There was so much about him that she wanted to know about…so many questions she wanted to ask…so many things he made her feel.

_Hate. Rage. Fear. Curiosity. Desire. **PASSION**._

The last one caught her off guard and she visibly shuddered, pulling away just as she had finished with the bandages.

He felt it, too. The Force that surrounded them was calling to both of them. Their feelings were bouncing around, echoing through each other. He at least could describe it. The girl…Rey, probably was terribly confused and afraid. He could tell. Her fear was mixing with her desire.

“You wouldn’t…you wouldn’t take me like that…like I was some prize.” Her back was to him. “…you’re not that…you can’t possibly that disgusting. You were in my head…that was bad enough…"

Ren wasn’t sure if she was talking to him or to herself.

“The Dark Side is more powerful than most people realize. Even…Luke, great Jedi that he claimed to be was tempted by it. The thought had come to me…but I refused it. There are limits to what I am willing to do."

The irony in the fact that he wasn’t above murder but some how above rape didn’t escape her, not for one second.

“But you…you wanted me…like that."

“Yes. But I will not take you. I would much prefer it….if you gave yourself willingly to me.”

She froze.

“I can read your feelings.” He continued, not waiting for an answer. Everything he wanted to know was pretty much being screamed at him through the Force. “I know how you feel about me. You’re confused. Scared. I understand those feelings. Your training will help you learn to wield those feelings like a weapon and no one will stop you. You won’t have to be alone. Never again."

He intentionally left out the rising desire he felt from her…the same desire that he felt in the depths of his cold, black heart.

"Don't be afraid..."He murmured. "I feel it too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I probably should explain some things:
> 
> I always believed that Force users could use a limited form of telepathy. 
> 
> Yes, Ren did have the urge to take her, but he didn't want to take her that way (Sith have standards!)


	4. The Vision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit harder on the rewrite, but I'm pleased with what I ended up with.

_Peace is a lie, there is only passion._  
_Through passion, I gain strength._  
_Through strength, I gain power._  
_Through power, I gain victory._  
_Through victory, my chains are broken._  
_The Force shall free me._

-The Sith Code

By Rey’s estimates, they’d been in Kylo Ren’s shuttle for about a week or so. She wasn’t entirely sure because it felt like more time had passed. But enough time had passed for her to realize it was too late for her to turn back from the path she had chosen. She was scared…and yet, she was excited. Excited by the prospects being trained in the Force could hold.

 

But mostly, she was still scared, especially after she’d nearly choked Kylo Ren.

 

"It's normal to be afraid." By now, he was strong enough to stand and converse with her and he took it upon himself to soothe her fears. He was surprisingly forgiving. "The pull of the Dark Side is powerful and frightening. Just let it in. I've felt the same."

"...I don't think I can do this..."

"Don't force it." He instructed. He was trying to teach her mediation. "Just relax, close your eyes and breathe. You should feel the Force flowing through you. Can you feel it?"

Rey closed her eyes and relaxed. She could feel it now. It was coming easier to her than before. "...yes...I feel it." The Force wasn't only thing she could feel. She could also feel his presence: dark, powerful, overwhelming…and strangely calming. It loomed large in her mind at first, only to shrink back as she focused her energy on feeling the Force.

“Good.” His next words came not from his lips, but from their shared connection. _Now just let go. The Dark Side is ruled by anger, by hate, by passion. Focus on those emotions. Let them fuel your power._

 _I don’t know where to get the anger from._ She didn’t want to admit this, but this was her weakness. She had felt his anger and his fear. She didn’t know where she could ever find such a reservoir inside herself.

“Rey, do not be afraid.” He said, deciding to use his voice to soothe her. “Let go of your fear, use your anger. Anger at the people who left you stranded on Jakku, alone and scared. Anger at the life you were forced to lead, anger at those who looked down on you. Use your anger, use your _hate_."

He could feel it. He could feel her anger. It surrounded her, flowing through her body like asteroids through space. Her hatred, her rage…the power, the power…it was incredible.

Inhaling a little, she took his words to heart. She focused on all the things she had long since supressed or told herself not to feel. She remembered how angry she was at being left behind, how some of the members of the First Order had called her “scavenger”, and how much she hated her family for just taking off and leaving her behind. As she sat there, deep in mediation, she began to feel her power rising. She felt her connection to Kylo Ren grow and she felt the tendrils of the Dark Side take hold of her heart.

Focusing on her feelings, she was suddenly greeted by a vision, not unlike the ones she’d seen when she touched Luke’s lightsaber or Kylo’s lightsaber. But this one was different. She saw other shapes, like Kylo Ren, with dark billowing cloaks and various weapons. She saw herself amongst their ranks, welding a lightsaber with a blade as red as blood. She saw her original duel with Kylo Ren in the forest. The images blinked through her mind rapidly, accompanied by sounds: the hum of a lightsaber blade, the sound of boots on the floor, the murmurings of things in a language she didn’t understand. And then, suddenly, she spoke.

Peace is a lie…there is only passion….through passion, I gain strength…through strength I gain power…through power I gain victory…through victory my chains are broken…"

Kylo Ren had begun speaking at the same time she did and when she faltered, he finished for her.

“The Force shall free me."

“…free me…” She murmured. “…those words…"

“The code of the Sith Lords, first written down by our forefather, Darth Bane.” He explained. “It is the creed of all those who walk on the Dark Side of the Force.” Kylo looked at Rey for a long moment. If he closed his eyes, he could almost see the specter of darkness curling around her. “Don’t be afraid by what you feel. Use your fear, let go of your conflict. I know it’s powerful and its frightening at first, but just let it in. Let your pain fuel your power. Wield it like a weapon and it can never be used against you."

Rey felt her heart rate pick up considerable speed as she tried to ignore her fear and focus on the surge of power she felt. The shuttle gave another lurch. She closed her eyes and focused herself, trying not to let the surge overwhelm her. The Force showed her another vision, this time of the future. She saw herself clad in black beside Kylo Ren, kneeling before a great specter of a man on a throne. She saw herself in a cavern full of crystals, constructing something. And then, she felt something…a link of some kind.

Then, the visions changed. She heard panting, moaning and gasping. She saw fingers interlaced, felt heat on her skin. She saw Kylo’s eyes, dark and warm. She felt warmth, passion… _desire_.

Her eyes snapped open and she turned towards Ren, who was sitting a few feet behind her, but intensely staring at her. His gaze would never fail to make her shiver a little bit. And then, she realized something.

That was him in the link she felt before her second vision. He’d seen what she’d seen, felt what she felt. Was that, was that them? Was that their future together?

It took her a moment before she could look at him again. His gaze had softened a little but, but it was no less intense. It was so different from the wild, almost crazed look from their duel or the fierce determination when he tried to look into her head.

“What did you see?” He asked, voice very soft.

“What?” She broke his gaze, caught off guard.

“I asked you what you saw in your vision.” He said. His expression had chanced into one of curiosity and interest and she found something very alluring in it. It was as if he was just daring her to come closer and tell him….to come closer and tell him all her secrets.

A long moment passed between them before finally, one of them broke. Rey crawled over to Ren and then, in one long movement, shoved him on his back (conveniently ignoring his “OW”) straddled his hips and pressed her lips to his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a reason for the ratings bump and the cliffhanger of sorts at the end here is why. I'll elaborate more next chapter. 
> 
> Also, thanks to Wookiepedia for giving me the Sith Code.
> 
> And yes, Rey has given into the Dark Side.


	5. The Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally, this chapter was going to have sex, but I decided at the last minute for an exposition chapter to give a sense of time frames and also to continue the UST so it can fuel their upcoming lightsaber duel to help Rey finish her initial training so she can become a Knight of Ren.
> 
> Also, a headcanon of mine is that Lust is another emotion that can fuel the power of the Dark Side. Ren does want Rey, but he wants them to use their mutual lust to further fuel each other's power...and also because he wants her fall to be solidified by their consummation.

The kiss pulsed through his body and it took him all he had to resist the urge to let her continue. Her lips were warm and soft and he felt like he was either flying or drowning in her and she in him. Their shared Force connection only made everything feel more intense, but he gently broke his lips from hers. He had to. The time was not right.

When she tried to go back for more, he gently pushed her away. “No…not yet."

She tried to explain, what she’d seen, what she knew he’d also seen and felt, but he pressed a finger to her lips to silence her.

“I know what you saw. I felt it, too. But not yet.” He didn’t want to admit to her or to himself that another emotion that fueled the Dark Side was lust. He knew what her vision had shown her: the two of them…together. But he didn’t want her as she was coming out of a vision. He wanted her to come to him willingly. “Use your lust…let it fuel your power."

His lightsaber nearly knocked him in the head as she got off him and let out a noise of frustration. It made him smirk to himself. She was learning. He was pleased. She was powerful, her potential to rival him was unquestionable. She would make a fine addition to the Knights of Ren when she was ready.

She was, in each and every way, his equal.

It felt like it had been months since the destruction of Starkiller Base, but in reality, it had only been a couple of weeks by the time Ren’s shuttle finally made contact with Supreme Leader Snoke.

Snoke had been pleased to learn that Ren had take it upon himself to train Rey and help her fall to the Dark Side.

“When she is ready, Supreme Leader…I will bring her to you.” Ren assured him. “I request more time to help her hone her skills."

“I understand, Kylo Ren. I would very much like to meet this girl, but I know in time, you will bring her to me. What more do you need to do?"

“I have to train her in lightsaber combat. She already bested me, as you can see.” Ren turned his face to show the scar from their first battle. “She’s raw and unrefined. Once she hones her power, she will join me in the Knights of Ren…and then the galaxy will tremble before her…before _us_.”

“You see her as your equal.” Snoke said.

Ren was taken aback by the statement, but realized that to Supreme Leader, his feelings must have been on full display. Lying about it wasn’t going to help him. “I do, Supreme Leader. I intend to use my feelings for her to help her fall and to keep her there."

He half expected Snoke to rebuke him at this or at the very least, start yelling, but there was the faintest hint of a smirk on Supreme Leader’s face. “When she is ready, Kylo Ren…induct her into the Knights of Ren and bring her to me."

“Yes, Supreme Leader…I will.” The hologram faded away, leaving Ren alone in the darkness of the shuttle. Putting his mask on again, he punched in the coordinates to the Star Destroyer, _Finalizer_.

 

The _Finalizer_ was so much like the Star Destroyers Rey had spent most of her time scavenging parts from, but the key difference is that it was a ship in actual use and she was endlessly curious as to how things worked. Kylo Ren found this trait quite endearing, even if Captain Phasma did not.

“So, who is she?” Captain Phasma asked as Rey scurried from one end of the docking bay to the other, looking around.

“Her name is Rey.” Kylo Ren replied. “She’s my student, more or less."

“So this is the girl I’ve heard so much about?” Phasma was surprised. “How did you get her to come?"

“I taught her how to harness her power. So, she stayed.” He shrugged it off. “She still has much to learn, but she learns rather quickly."

“Does the Supreme Leader know you have her?"

“He knows. She’s not ready to meet him. Not yet.” He turned his attention to Rey. “Let the Stormtroopers get back to work, Rey. We have work to do."

 

The next few months passed quickly, with Kylo Ren instructing Rey in lightsaber training and the various bits and pieces he knew of Sith Lore. Much of the information about both the Jedi and the Sith had been lost during the Jedi purge, but Darth Sidious had kept almost ridiculously detailed records of Sith Lore that Snoke had dug up and Kylo Ren had read through almost all of it and was only too eager to pass his knowledge of the Dark Side on to Rey.

In the meantime, between their lessons, their attraction to one another only grew, encouraged by close quarters. While Kylo Ren was determined not to bed her before he felt she was ready (and before he was done with most of her training), Rey seemed bound and determined (and empowered by her own power) to try to break him.

“You know you’re just delaying the inevitable, right?” She had managed to get him on the ground during a practice lightsaber fight and her little smirk only drove him crazier. “I _will_ have you. And you will have me. You’re just going to make yourself crazy with all the waiting."

“You are still my student. It would be improper.” Kylo struggled to get to his feet. “And you are not ready."

“Who are you to decide when I am ready?” She asked, helping him up. “I decide my fate, not you."

His eyes bore into her and she found herself momentarily silenced by the intensity in his dark gaze “I don’t want to take advantage of you. I don’t want things to be the way they were before. I want you to come to me willingly, and I want to come to you free of ties. For now, you are my student and giving into our passions now would only derail your training.” His fingers trailed along her cheek. “Heed my wisdom. I only want what’s best."

“You weren’t this hesitant when you were going into my head."

“Things have changed.” He’d changed.

A sudden beeping from Kylo’s com unit interrupted any other thoughts he might have been having. Turning his attention to the unit and away from the temptation of Rey’s lips, he picked it up. “What?"

“Sir, General Hux wants to know why you’ve been avoiding him for the entire time you’ve been back on the ship.” It was some random officer. “He’s a little…concerned."

Kylo had to fight the urge to tell the officer to tell Hux to go fuck himself, but he held his tongue. “Tell him I’ll be on the bridge in 15 minutes."

When he cut the call, he noticed the strange way Rey was looking at him. “What?"

“Who’s Hux?"

“He..he’s a very annoying little ginger who likes to make me look bad in front of Supreme Leader. He’s a General and Starkiller base was his baby."

“Oh.” A pause. “So, why have you been avoiding him?"

 _Because I absolutely cannot stand him._ Kylo thought. “I’ve been training you. You come first.” He kissed her forehead. “Wait in your quarters until I return, okay?"

And with that, he donned his helmet and went to the bridge to go see the General.


	6. Final Steps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank God for Wookiepedia and its information on things like the name of the First Order's Star Destroyer and how to make lightsabers. 
> 
>  Another slight exposition chapter

The doors to the bridge of _Finalizer_ opened and Kylo Ren swept in, robes billowing around him. Almost immediately, Hux greeted him. “Welcome back, Kylo Ren.” Hux’s voice was as cold as ice. “Did you enjoy your little…"

Ren had no time for Hux and cut him off. “I have the girl. Supreme Leader knows."

Hux raised an eyebrow. “And what exactly have you been doing this entire time with her? Having a good shag?"

“Training her.” Ren didn’t have to answer to Hux if he didn’t feel like it and he didn’t appreciate the questioning. “I have orders from Supreme Leader. We are to be taken to Lothal so she can choose the crystal for her lightsaber."

“We have things more important than…” Suddenly, Hux found his air being cut off and he began gasping for breath.

“I cannot see Supreme Leader again without Rey…and I refuse to go before him without her and she is not ready.” Ren’s voice was colder now, hardly showing the effort it took for him to use the Force Choke. “His orders were for me to get her ready. Now…take. us. to. Lothal.” A motion from his hand and Hux was on the floor. “Do we have an understanding?"

Rey’s private quarters were next to Ren’s and it was much better than the cramped conditions of his shuttle. She appreciated the privacy. It gave her ample space to bathe and get dressed and then to mediate and do some reading. Since her kiss with Ren, her power had grown considerably, using her frustration at his rejection and her lingering hate and fear to fuel it. The Force was strong in her…but the potential for it to be used for good was gone.

Ren had made her feel like she belonged. He had offered to help her learn when he could have just killed her. He told her all about the Force, showed her how to use it. He had saved her from dying on Starkiller Base. Through him, she had finally found an outlet for the pain she had endured, for the rage she felt, for the despair in the fact that her family was never coming back. They were gone. She was alone. They’d left her on Jakku to scavage and try to build a life for herself and it had been a miserable one.

But, now she had the Force. Now she had Kylo Ren. Now she had _power_. And now the galaxy was going to pay for her pain.

As the last of these thoughts entered her head, the door to her room opened to reveal Ren’s lanky form. It was almost as if she had summoned him herself.

“Your pain is considerable.” He remarked, having felt the tremors even while speaking with Hux. “I had no idea you were so angry about your past."

“Well, when you’ve been left alone on a desert planet, abandoned, unwanted, you have plenty of time to think.” Rey said. “But I will take your teachings to heart and use my pain to help crush the Resistance. You were right. I would only have been disappointed if I stayed with them.” She looked up at him, trying to find the eyes behind his mask. “But thanks to you, I know the ways of the Force…thanks to you I can now become more powerful than I ever was…and I will no longer be…nobody.”

Ren was pleased. “No. You will never be nobody. Never again.” He reached out to her and stroked her face, the leather cool against her skin. “Now, as I told you before, we are going to a planet known as Lorthal before we are to meet with Supreme Leader."

“What are we going there for?” She asked.

“Before you are to meet with Supreme Leader…and before you join me in the Knights of Ren as my apprentice, there are two things you must do. These things will complete your initial training."

“What are they?"

“The first is that you are to build your own lightsaber. Lorthal has many of the Kyber Crystals needed to power it. And no, before you ask, I don’t think one based off your staff is a good idea.”

Her slight pout made him chuckle.

“What is the second thing, Ren?” She asks, huffing a little.

For this, he unmasks and looks directly into her eyes. He wants to see the eyes of the woman he would move planets for. He would never admit it to Supreme Leader, but he desired Rey greatly and wanted her by his side. She fascinated him and looked at him as though he was like nothing else in the galaxy. For the first time since he had abandoned Ben Solo and became Kylo Ren, he felt like the Dark Side was were he belonged. For now, he had her and that was worth everything.

“The second thing, Rey, is that you are to face me in lightsaber combat."

There was an unspoken part of that statement lingering in the air.

Through the Force, she was able to pick up on it. “You mean defeat you."

“You have already done it once.” He traced the outline of his scar. “You can do it again."

“What will happens when that happens?”

“You will have earned your place in the Knights of Ren and once you have chosen a title for yourself, we will go before Supreme Leader. But for now, you should rest. The construction of a lightsaber is an intense process and I want you fully rested for it. “

“Alright.”

There was an aching between them, a yearning she couldn’t quite place. But then, like a bolt, it struck her. Desire was dominating him. It bled through the Force and into her, overriding everything else he was feeling. She knew then that he ached for her, but something was holding him back…keeping him from acting on it.

“Ren…” She began, but he pressed his finger to her lips.

“Not yet.” He murmured. He could feel her own ache, buried underneath her hatred and rage. Lust burned white hot in her. She wanted him and was curious as to why he wouldn’t act on it. He had said he wanted her to come to him willingly and here she was, very, very, _very_ willing and he was holding back. “I want the night we…become one, to be a special one.” He pulled away from her and put his mask back on. “Rest now. You will need it and full concentration in order to construct your saber."

With that, he swept from the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts.


	7. The Lightsaber Trial

Lorthal had once been under the control of the Empire, and while it was no longer, the Knights of Ren, knowing the planet’s importance as a source of Kyber crystals for lightsabers, had always managed to keep an outpost there. So it surprised none of the Knights unfortunate enough to be stuck there when Kylo Ren’s shuttle touched down there.

What did surprise them was that their master was accompanied by a young woman.

“Lord Kylo!” One of the knights explained. “This is an unexpected visit…” His voice faltered. “Has Supreme Leader given us new orders?"

“No, Tyranus.” Kylo Ren replied. “I am here on more personal business. I want you to meet my soon to be apprentice, Rey. Rey, this is Tyranus Ren, one of the younger members of the Knights of Ren. He will be showing you where the crystals are."

Rey stepped forward into the line of sight of Tyranus Ren. She affixed his masked face with some curiosity. Did all of the Knights of Ren wear such masks?

The younger knight bowed his head. “A pleasure to meet you, Lady Rey. I am sure you must be powerful if Lord Kylo chose you for his apprentice. Some of the younger members of our order have been trying for years.” He then turned his attention to Kylo Ren. “I assume then, that she is here for the crystals?"

Rey reached within her black robes and pulled out a bag with the parts needed to make her own saber. “Yes, that is why."

“I assume Rey is actually her name and she is not one of us yet.” Tyranus remarked.

“My training is almost finished.” Rey said. “And then I face Kylo Ren in combat."

“May the Force have mercy on you, then.” Tyranus said. “Lord Kylo, I will be taking her to the cave. Is there anything else she will need?"

“Rey…” Kylo began. “In order to complete your saber, you must choose a crystal using the Force. It will guide you to the correct one. Remember your training and all that I have tried to teach you. Once you have your crystal, you must return to the shuttle at once. Do you understand?”

“Yes, my Lord.” She wasn’t sure what to call him anymore. “I will not fail you."

“You’ve come so far, Rey.” He was proud and his mask hid his smile. “I know you won’t."

With that, Rey and Tyranus left for the caverns where the crystals were. When they had reached the entrance, Rey removed her cloak and handed it to Tyranus. “I am to assume that I must enter the cavern alone.” She said.

“That is correct.” Tyranus replied. “I will be here in case something happens, but hopefully nothing will. May the Force be with you, Lady Rey."

Rey nodded and entered the cave alone. She was surprised to find it was surprisingly decently lit and crystals were everywhere. She had never seen such beauty before. For the longest moment, she stood alone in the cave, trying to take everything in.

Suddenly, she felt something calling to her.

Rey closed her eyes and focused on the call. She emptied her thoughts, turned into the Force and followed the call to its source.

Then, suddenly, on a small mound of dirt before her, was a gleaming white crystal. She closed her eyes and focused her energy. _This one. This is the one suitable for your saber._

Rey opened her eyes and held out her hand, willing the crystal into her hand.

The minute the crystal went into her hand, she was greeted by a vision.

She saw herself being dressed in black robes and covering her head. She saw red blades clashing against a backdrop of black. She felt anger, rage, despair…lust. She heard voices speaking to her. And then… _”Welcome to the Knights of Ren, Ventress Ren."_

“Ventress Ren.” She murmured to herself. “That is what I will call myself.” After the legendary Dark Jedi and Sith apprentice, Asajji Ventress. It suited her. It had a certain air of ruthlessness about it. She liked it. But for the moment, she was still Rey and her training was not complete.

Focusing her energy on listening to the Force around her, she sat down and began to meditate, willing the pieces of what would become her saber out of her bag. As the construction began, she felt more at peace than she ever had before. Kylo Ren, Supreme Leader, the First Order, they had all shown her a new way of life, a proper one, the path she was meant to be on. There was no peace or happiness to be found in the light side, not anymore. After all, if she was a valuable and powerful Force user, why was she left alone as a child on Jakku? Why had her family simply abandoned her?

She understood now. The path had led her to Kylo Ren, to a man she would do anything for and a man who would do anything for her in return. She would be a good apprentice to him, even a great one and earn her rightful place by his side. The galaxy would fear them and fall into line with the First Order. Then there would be peace and order. Then, things would be set right.

In that cave, Rey the Scavenger from Jakku died.

And Ventress Ren, apprentice to Kylo Ren, was born.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank GOD for Wookiepedia and its articles on the particulars of making lightsabers and where to find their crystals. 
> 
> I am sure the naming scheme for the Knights of Ren will become clear in either new materials or the later films, but I had to make something up. 
> 
> Tyranus Ren is a nod to Darth Tyranus (aka Count Dooku).
> 
> Ventress Ren, Rey's new name in the Knights of Ren, is a nod to Asajj Ventress, from the Clone Wars series and other materials. I thought it was a pretty baddass name. 
> 
>  
> 
> NEXT CHAPTER INVOLVES A LIGHTSABER FIGHT. MAY THE FORCE BE WITH ME.


	8. The Birth of Ventress & The Duel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this duel was really hard, so I just stuck to banter. 
> 
> Also, from this point on until the end of the story, Rey will be using her new name as a member of the Knights of Ren: Ventress Ren.

Kylo Ren was worried. Rey had been in the depths of the cave for many days now and he was concerned that something had happened to her. He knew that mediating on the crystal, honing it through the Force, was necessary and important, but it normally didn’t take this long.

“Lord Kylo, are you sure Lady Rey is alright?” Tyranus asked, noticing that Kylo had been staring at the mouth of the cave for the past several hours. “Perhaps we should go in and see if something has happened."

“Construction of a lightsaber is a process we must all face.” Kylo said, He did want to go in after her, but the rituals were important. “We are meant to do it over a period of several days."

Another young knight unfortunate enough to be stuck on Lorthal named Greivious Ren, spoke up. “Yes, but has it ever taken this long, Lord Kylo?"

Concern crept into Kylo Ren’s voice. “No…no it hasn’t."

“Perhaps it is a test of her strength.” Tyranus suggested.

“Or perhaps…” Greivious began but then stopped short. He let out a gasp. “Lord Kylo, look!"

Kylo Ren turned to look and what he saw almost caused him to faint.

Rey was standing in the mouth of the cave. She looked somewhat exhausted and was as pale as snow. There were bags under her eyes and her hair was an absolute mess. She took a few steps forward and then raised her hand to reveal a lightsaber hilt with a slight curve to it. It was silver in the light and gleamed as though it were crystal itself. She’d done it.

“Lady Rey!” Tyranus was surprised. “You are alright!"

“Rey?” She questioned, voice calm and cool. “That name no longer has any meaning to me. In the cave, the Force showed me a vision. A vision of who I was meant to be and who I will become. The Force has given me a new name. I am now Ventress Ren."

Kylo Ren was by her side then, noticing how exahsuted she looked.

“Ventress Ren is a good name.” He said, softly. “It suits you."

“I will do my best…to be a good apprentice to you, Lord Kylo.” Ventress/Rey said and then, finally, her exhaustion got the better of her.

She was in his arms before she could even hit the ground.

“Is Lady Rey alright?” Grievous asked, rushing to the two to see if there was anything he could do.

“Lady Ventress.” Kylo corrected. “And she is fine. She is, as I thought she would be, exhausted by the trials of lightsaber creation. She requires rest before she is to face me."

Without missing a beat, he managed to pick up her newly created lightsaber and then carried her back to his command shuttle.

Ventress/Rey awoke slowly, blinking her eyes. She felt drained, but at the same time, brand new. It was a wonderful feeling, to leave her old life behind. Now she was starting fresh, with a brand new identity. No longer would people look at her like she was nothing. Now, they would look upon her with fear. The same fear and desperation she had felt she would make sure others felt. This affirmation made her feel powerful and she was about to sit up when suddenly, a familiar voice spoke from beside her.

“Ventress…” Kylo was in her room, sitting across from her bed. His mask was off and beside him was her new lightsaber. “Are you alright?"

“Of course I am alright.” She sat up, only to wince. The experience in the cave had left her physically drained, but she was determined not to show weakness to her new master. “When did I…"

“You fainted once you emerged from the cave. You were in there for days. I was concerned about you. So, I brought you back to the shuttle.” Kylo explained. “Were you meditating with the crystal to inbue it with the power of the Force?"

“Yes. And while I was deep in meditation, I constructed it into what you see there.” Ventress replied. “I was also shown visions of the Force. Of what I must do. “ She fell silent for a moment. “And then it reminded me, Kylo, that we have unfinished business."

He knew exactly where she was going with this and what the Force had shown her. “Ventress, you are weak. The lightsaber construction process has left you exhausted."

“You told me once that you could take whatever you want.” She would not allow him to change the subject or deny her. It was driving her mad. “And that you didn’t want to take me that way. But now, I am offering…do not deny me, Kylo Ren. The Force brought us together, showed me our places at each other’s side. You are the only person I have ever wanted….and the only one who ever wanted me in return."

She rose from the bed, gathering the sheets around her body. “I am giving myself to you now…not as Rey, but as Ventress. What more must I do to prove myself worthy to you?"

“It is not you who is unworthy.” Kylo corrected her, standing to meet her in the center of the room. “It is I who feels unworthy of your adoration, of your lust and desire. I don’t want this to lead us to ruin. Supreme Leader has told me as much. Before I consider myself a man worthy of you, you must finish your training. And that means, as soon as you are strong enough, you must face me in combat. You have done well, Ventress. The lightsaber is impressive. "

“Don’t change the…” Venress’ words were cut off as Kylo pulled her flush against him and kissed her.

The kiss was what she had been aching for, even while deep in meditation. The lust that burned within her had become almost as strong as her rage (and had also nearly cracked the crystal, but that was a minor concern). It gave her considerable power to draw on, but still...

But it was nothing compared to Kylo’s ache. He had tried to remain stoic and rational throughout the many days of Ventress’ lightsaber trial, but all he had wanted to know was if she was alright. And now, she was here, in his arms and it was talking all of his strength to not finally give in to the longing that burned beneath his skin, heating his blood.

He had to force himself to break away. “The next time I see you…” He murmured against her lips, “…you will be facing your final trial before you have rightfully earned the title Ventress Ren. I am to be that trial. You will have three options in our duel: defeat, a draw or…"

“…death.” Ventress whispered back. Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach.

Kylo gently stepped away from Ventress, running a hand through her long dark hair. “I have taught you all I can, Ventress. Make me proud."

With those final words and an air of utter longing and desire between them, Kylo Ren left the room before he could change his mind about waiting. He wanted to see this through to the end.

Ventress spent the next week or so either sparring with Tyranus (who admitted he was no Lord Kylo, but he’d do), or deep in meditation, preparing herself for her duel with Kylo. It wasn’t like they hadn’t fought before. But this time, it would be different.

As he had implied, Kylo stayed away, presumably also preparing. Good. She didn’t need his distractions. She simply needed to focus her emotions and use the Force to channel them. She was so close to the goal, to formally becoming a Knight, to earning her rightful place, to becoming more than what she had been.

And if she was honest, completely honest with herself, the idea of fighting Kylo Ren again, of feeling the thrill that their first duel had given her, only made her want him more. The galaxy would know her rage, but he and he alone, would know her lust. If he looked upon the night she finished her training and joined him formally, as their wedding night, then she was going to make damn sure to make it well worth the wait…and the frustration.

And then, one morning, through their shared connection, Kylo’s voice came to her.

_Ventress..._

_Kylo…_

_Come to me. It is time._

Their duel was to be held in a holo-repilica of an old Sith temple. Other members of the Knights of Ren had come to watch.

Dressed in black robes and a mask that only covered the lower half of her face, Ventress strode to the center of the “arena” and looked around.

“Ventress Ren…” A voice echoed across the hall. It must have been another one of the Knights. “…before Supreme Leader officially recognizes you as one of the Knights of Ren, you must finish your initial training. "

“I understand.” Ventress said.

“Your final test is to face our Master, Kylo Ren, in combat. In order to pass this trial, you must either defeat him, duel him to a draw or kill him outright.”

As the voice finished speaking, Kylo Ren appeared at the other end of the hall. He was fully masked and ready to face Ventress.

A moment of silence passed between them before Ventress pulled her lightsaber out of the folds of her hilt. For the first time in the presence of Kylo, she ignited it. The blade was as red as blood.

“I look forward to our wedding night, Kylo.” She said, voice distorted, but she was smiling. “Shall we?"

His blade lit up. “It will be my pleasure."

Ventress wasn’t stupid enough to expect a repeat of their duel on Starkiller Base. Kylo was fully in control of himself, free of wounds and pain and that made him more formidable than ever before. But she could take him. She inhaled, closed her eyes, drew on her feelings, the same ones that had helped give rise to her power, and the duel began.

There was a clash of blades and wills. Ventress was giving it all she had, determined to leave an impression on those who had gathered to watch her. She wanted to earn her place amongst their ranks.

The duel is wild, almost feral, a mix of blades, and whirls of black clothing. Their emotions run high and strained, the Force and their shared connection only amplifying everything in the room.

“You’ve come a long way from the untrained girl in the forest, Ventress!” Kylo said. “But if you think I’m going to go down without a…"

He’d left himself wide open for a Force Push and she did exactly that, slamming him into a stone wall before she advanced on him. “Oh, I know you aren’t. I expect it.”

He recovered quickly and managed to push her back. Their next clash of blades nearly took his arm off.

“What’s wrong, Kylo? I thought you wanted to be like your grandfather.” Ventress taunted, only to nearly lose her own arm. “Point taken."

“Keep your focus, Ventress.” Kylo instructed. “Or it will be you who winds up in a suit."

Ventress backed away slowly, closed her eyes. The Force was speaking to her, urging her on where to strike next. She remembered her training.

_Use your anger. Use your hate. Use your **lust**. Make him feel your pain!_

She opened her eyes just as he was about to bring down his saber (and nearly take off her hands) and not only blocked him, but managed to use the exact same trick he had on the forest on Takodana. Drawing on the Force, she managed to freeze his body in place.

Kylo was stunned to find he couldn’t move. Where had she learned this? Who’d taught her?

As if she could read his mind, she answered. “You did, Kylo Ren. You taught me everything I know…officially and unofficialy.” She then managed to will his saber into her hands. “And whatever you didn’t try to teach me officially, I used our connection to learn.”

He was released, only to find himself on his back on the floor before her and both blades were at his neck.

The desire in her eyes burned hot and bright.

“As I said before…” Ventress made sure to let Kylo know her feelings. “…I look forward to our wedding night."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grevious Ren is a reference to General Grevious from the prequel movies. 
> 
>  
> 
> And next chapter, well...all of that UST is finally going to be dealt with.


	9. The Knighting & Meeting Snoke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone forgot, Ventress Ren= Rey.
> 
> Okay, yeah, this was going to be the sexytimes chapter, but uh, the scene I had originally planned out didn't work with the flow of the rest of the chapter, so I decided to push it back.

Ventress’ victory over Kylo meant that she had earned the right to keep her title and join the Knights of Ren, a fact that at earned her thunderous applause from the knights gathered to watch them.

Some of them had even begun chanting “Lady Ventress! Lady Ventress!"

“You have done well, Ventress.” Kylo said from his position on the floor. “I’m very proud.” It took him a moment to get up and when he did, she knelt before him.

“I only tried to live up to the teachings and wisdom you have bestowed upon me.” Ventress said, handing him back his lightsaber. She noticed out the corner of her eye that the other Knights of Ren were gathering around her. “You have been a very worthy master."

“And you a good student.” A pause. “Knights of Ren! Gather!"

As the other Knights gathered, Kylo ignited his saber. So did the others, one by one until the kneeling Ventress was surrounded by a sea of black cloaks and red blades. The blades lowered.

“Ventress Ren, you have rightfully and fairly beaten me, Kylo Ren, in one on one combat. You have passed the trials of lightsaber creation and fairly demonstrated your power as one who walks on he Dark Side.” Kylo began. He was having a hard time keeping the pride out of his voice. “As a result, we, the Knights of Ren, enforcers for the First Order, acting on behalf of our wise and powerful Supreme Leader, welcome you to our order.” He touched each of her shoulders with his blade. “By the right of the Supreme Leader and the will of the First Order, I officially knight you as one of us. You have earned the title of Ventress Ren. Welcome to the Knights of Ren."

“I hope to do you proud, Lord Kylo.” Ventress said, head bowed.

Suddenly, his voice was in her mind, soft and warm. _You already have, Ventress. You already have._

Cheering then broke out amongst the Knights of Ren and they all began chanting “Lady Ventress! Lady Ventress!"

 

 

The chamber where Ventress was to finally meet Supreme Leader Snoke was dark and gloomy and it was hard for her to see. In fact, if it weren’t for Kylo beside her, she wouldn’t even be sure if she was going in the right direction.

“What if I fail to impress the Supreme Leader?” She hadn’t been so worried since Kylo had first taught her how to reach out and feel the Force around her. “Will he kill me?"

“No.” Kylo assured her. “Supreme Leader wanted to meet you only when you were ready. And now that you have joined us, you are well and truly ready. You have come a long way from the desert wastes of Jakku, Ventress."

Suddenly, a dark an ominous presence filled the room and a second, deeper, louder voice spoke. “Indeed you have, child. Indeed you have..."

“Supreme Leader!” Kylo Ren went to his knees. “Thank you for honoring us with your presence."

A hologram flickered into view and Ventress was given her first “look” at Supreme Leader Snoke. He was a massive figure draped in black with a yellowed face that looked like it had been decaying (or not; the chamber was so dark it was hard to tell). He was sitting on some kind of throne and he regarded her with large, dark eyes.

Ventress also knelt beside Kylo. “It is an honor to finally be granted an audience with you, Supreme Leader Snoke.” She bowed her head.

“Our newest Knight of Ren…Ventress.” Snoke seemed be inspecting her. “Formerly known as Rey, a scavenger on Jakku. I welcome you to the First Order. Kylo Ren saw great potential in you and yes, I sense it…I sense your power.” A pause. “Rise, Ventress. Let me take a look at you…"

Slowly, Ventress got to her feet and raised her head, taking off her mask to the Supreme Leader could see her face.

“The Force is strong with her.” Snoke observed. “And the Dark Side….even stronger. Tell me, child. Where are you drawing such power from? What could drive you to such hate and anger? Tell me."

“I was abandoned as a child on Jakku, forced to scrape an existence out of hunting for scrap and living on portions. I had nothing and no one, except the vain hope that someday, my family would return.” Just reciting the memories made Ventress shake with anger and she clenched her hand around her lightsaber in an effort to calm herself. “If I was so powerful with the Force, why was I left alone to die? Why was I not chosen? But now I understand. Now I see what the purpose was. The Force showed me my place here, in the Knights of Ren. It showed me the Dark Side was my true path. And now, I plan to use my power to make the galaxy feel the pain I’ve felt…the loneliness, the despair. The light turned its back on me….” She looked up at Snoke. “…and I want _revenge_."

“Your emotions make you powerful, Ventress.” Snoke sounded unusually pleased. “Kylo Ren was wise to see your potential.” He sat back in his seat, regarding them both. “Master of the Knights of Ren, you may rise."

As Kylo stood, the Supreme Leader continued to speak. “The two of you are to act as enforcers on behalf of the First Order. I believe that the Resistance is regrouping somewhere in the galaxy and I leave it to you both to discover where it is…and as for Skywalker…"

“I’ve seen the map.” Ventress had almost forgotten about it, due to everything else she had been through, but it was still there, buried in her memory. “I can lead us to Skywalker."

There was a change in Snoke’s tone. “You can?"

Ventress held no love for Skywalker now. If she was as powerful as she had been told, as powerful as she was, Skywalker would have come for her. “I can. I will. We can then crush him with one swift stroke."

“I admire your dedication, Ventress Ren.” Snoke’s voice was tinged with pleasure. “But you are not ready to face Skywalker alone, not yet. You still have much to learn. But, the information you do have will be most valuable."

Something in Ventress told her that arguing with the Supreme Leader was unwise, so she held her tongue. “Yes, Supreme Leader."

“I will request an audience with you both when I have new orders for you.” Snoke sat back. “In the meantime, find the Resistance. Am I understood?"

“Yes, Supreme Leader.” Came the unified response as the hologram vanished.

 

 

It wasn’t until they were out of the chamber that Ventress finally allowed herself to breathe again.

“How did I do, Kylo?” Ventress asked as they left for the bridge of the Star Destroyer.

“It appears that Supreme Leader has taken a liking to you.” Kylo replied. “Normally, he would have insisted you be tested elsewhere and not join me in the field so soon."

“Perhaps he sensed what I know to be true…that my place is by your side and your place is by mine.” Ventures had worked very hard to suppress her true feelings in the audience of Snoke, but now that she was alone with Kylo for the first time since she had been knighted, she could feel the flickers of lust and desire start to creep back into her.

They came to a stop by a large window, providing them a beautiful view of the stars. “Ventress…”Kylo looked more at the stars than her. “…you are correct. Our places are by one another. For this, I should actually be thanking Skywalker. Trying to find him helped me to find you.” He then looked at her, or as much as he could, considering his mask was still on. “You are the most wonderful thing that the Dark Side has given me. Even with all that I have learned and done, none of it compares to you.” His hand touched her face and she sighed into the warm leather. “I am grateful to have you by my side."

As he lowered his hand, hers reached out to his mask, pushing the buttons and allowing it to come off smoothly. She was rewarded with the sight of his face…complete with the scar she had given him. Her fingers lightly traced along the scar and he seemed to sigh at her touch. “And I am equally grateful for you, Kylo.”

She had to stand on her tiptoes to kiss him, as he was so much taller than her. The kiss left both of them sighing in pleasure, but the lingering persistent ache that had followed the pair since their first kiss on Kylo’s command shuttle was still there. It oozed into every bit of their shared Force bond and they both felt it…even when they were pretending not to.

Finally, Kylo realized he could endure waiting no longer. “Come with me.” He took her hand in his own and led her away. “There is someplace I would like to take you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Knighting sequence was inspired by Anakin's knighting sequence in the first Clone Wars cartoon.
> 
> Also, I'm aware that the Knights of Ren probably aren't all Force users, but the mental image of Ventress' knighting with lightsabers was too cool to delete. 
> 
>  
> 
> Also, the meeting with Snoke was partially to close a lingering plothole regarding the map to Luke.
> 
>  
> 
> And next chapter, I really will deal with all the lingering UST.


	10. Knights In Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is about to earn its M rating, let me tell you. I worked the HELL out of this chapter.

Kylo lead Ventress through many corridors and up many levels until they reached one of the top levels of the Star Destroyer…and the level for Kylo’s other private quarters. It was the first time she had ever been allowed access since they had boarded the ship and she was taken aback by the polish and shine of the black hallways and incredible views. She also noticed several walls bore deep scars from his legendary tantrums.

“I use these chambers for mediation.” He explained, sensing her questions. “For all of us who use the Force, mediation is important for drawing on our power. We occasionally need quiet places, private ones, to do that.” He came to a stop at the end of a hallway and pressed a button. “There is another room on this floor that you will be able to use for your own purposes, if you so desire."

Large black doors slid open with a quiet hiss and he lead her inside the room.

Another button press and she found herself standing in a large chamber, lit only by soft crystal-like lights on the walls. And then, suddenly, the floor beneath them moved.

“You may want to back up a bit.” He said as a platform began to rise from the floor. But it wasn’t just any platform…it was a bed. It was much different from the small cot in her own quarters on the lower decks, done up in black and silver, to match the chrome polish of the rest of the base and most importantly, large enough for two.

She raised her eyebrow as the floor closed itself up again and the bed settled into its position.

He wasn’t done yet. Setting his helmet and lightsaber on a nearby table, he went over to the other side of the room and pressed a button. The shades covering the windows opened up to reveal that they were actually more or less floor to ceiling windows. Windows that happened to give the most incredible view of the stars Ventress had ever seen. It was nothing compared to what she had seen on Jakku. There, she could only look at the stars from the ground and dream about seeing them for herself one day.

Now, here, she was among the stars and it was more than she could ever hope for. He noticed the genuine awe and joy on her face with a hint of tender affection.

“At first…” He confesses, taking off his gloves. “I only wanted you for your power. It’s been a very long time since I met another Force user and never one on your level. But the more I taught you and trained you, the more I realized your value and worth and I became devoted into making you see yourself the way I saw you: powerful, confident…valuable. You’ve grown considerably since our duel on Starkiller Base. I’m proud…so very, very proud. "

Ventress was surprised, but not entirely. She knew that Snoke and Kylo had wanted her for her power. She had, at first, simply wanted to not die and possibly learn about the power she possessed. She had never thought she would be more than a toy to him…to either of them. Something to be played with and then discarded when she was of no more use. But instead of passing her off to Snoke, Kylo had taken the time to train her in the ways of the Force himself, teaching her how to use the anger, the despair, the loneliness…all of the hurt she had endured and use it for power.

“Wield your emotions like a lightsaber and they can never be used to harm you.” He had told her.

It wasn’t lost on her that Kylo didn’t have to take up the mantle of training her himself.

“And here I thought that you would train me, send me out to die and then forget about me.” Ventress had moved to the windows to admire the view. “I thought I was nothing more than a tool, a toy."

“No…you are so much more to me than that.” Kylo knew that what they felt for each other, that fierce devotion and love could either lead them to ruin or lead them to ascend to levels of power most Sith could only dream of. He was taking a risk, revealing his feelings now, but it was one he was okay with. Since Ventress had emerged from her lightsaber trial, he no longer felt the temptation of the light, a fact that wasn’t lost on him. “Ventress, you are well and truly my equal."

Through their Force Bond, she knew what he was truly trying to say. She knew what he was feeling. She turned to look at him.

A long moment passed between them. Their emotions bled into one another: desire, lust, longing, fear, love…but then desire roared to the forefront, thick and hot and wild.

“You know I can take whatever I want.” Kylo says, dropping his outer robe.

Ventress smirked a little. “Do you mean the map…” She began to take off her own gloves. “…or me?” Her outer robe hit the floor just as he advanced on her.

Pressing her back against the glass window, he kissed her near senseless, long fingers tugging at the folds of her robes and outright ripping at least one part of her tunic off her. When she opened her mouth to protest, he quickly shut her up with another kiss.

Each kiss left her aching inside. Oh yes, this was what she had been waiting for. Each kiss was more passionate than the last and she found it hard to detangle herself from him long enough to at least get him in a half-undressed state.

Fortunately, he had already figured out how to solve that problem. Hoisting her up in his arms, he carried her over to the bed, dropped her on it and then, smirking all the while, used the Force to undress her right down to her undergarments.

She was more than a little annoyed at this.

“Just relax.” He told her, undoing his belt. “I want to make this something you’ll never forget.” A pause and then, he gave her a look that nearly set her on fire. “Tonight is all about your pleasure."

The sight of him undressing was certainly something she’d never forget. He was more muscular than his lanky form and vaguely ill-fitting robes would suggest, but his skin quite pale. It made the scars from Starkiller Base stand out and look worse than they were. But overall, he was so handsome that seeing him stripped down to his undergarments (which were as black as everything else) just filled her with greater longing.

But then, her eyes once again fell on the scars from Starkiller base, the same ones she’d tended to and her curiosity about them grew. Concerned, she rose to her knees and crawled over just as he knelt on the bed. She then ran her fingers over the scars on his stomach and shoulder, noting the soft sounds he made at her touch. “Do they hurt?” She asked.

“No.” He murmured, before kissing her again and easing her back against the soft sheets and pillows. “Not at all."

Another lingering kiss against her lips and then suddenly, said lips and hands were all over her hyper sensitive skin. Each touch left her burning for more and moaning in pleasure. It was as if he knew exactly what to do, where to touch her that left her practically numb in ectascy. She chalked it up to their Force bond (or at least she did when she was thinking clearly enough) and his desire to, as he had once said “make this night special”.

He stops once he reaches her waist and encourages her to lift up her hips so he can take her underwear off. Then, he decided to surprise her a little by taking said underwear in his teeth and dragging it all the way off her body and then dropping them on the floor, keeping his eyes, blown black with his lust, firmly on hers the entire time.

The sight of it nearly made her come right then and there.

Noticing that she was squirming, he encouraged her to spread her legs, raising one up to kiss his way down it, leaving little love bites all the way down. “Relax…”He whispered after one particularly hard nip on her thigh. “…let me make this good for you."

She was about to tell him to just get on with it already, she felt like she was going to burn up, the emotions of their Force bond, the desire swirling within her and her arousal all threatening to undo her before he had even touched her, but then his mouth was between her thighs and she just about lost it.

 _I see you like that._ He sounded amused…and a little too smug for her to be comfortable with it. _Let’s see what else you like._

And then he began to pleasure her into ecstatic oblivion.

She had never felt anything like that before. His tongue was touching places she didn’t even know had nerve endings. Her skin was on fire, and she was panting for air, touching her breasts, clutching the sheets, doing everything she could to stay grounded in reality when her world was heat and pleasure, desire and utter, absolute, incredible ecstasy. Suddenly, everything hit her with the force of a tidal wave and she grabbed onto the headboard, arched herself up into his mouth and let go with a howl of pleasure so loud one could have probably heard it in the trash compactor.

 

As she floated down from her high, she became aware of Kylo lying next to her, his fingers lightly skating across her overheated skin. His eyes were full of affection as opposed to lust and when she rolled over to look at him, he kissed her again, allowing her to taste her release on his lips and tongue. It was utterly filthy…and kind of hot.

“….that was incredible.” Ventress broke the silence with a happy sigh.

“I’m glad.” He murmured. “…I wanted to make it good for you.”

“What about you?” She could sense it, sense his own desire.

“I’ll manage.” Kylo was about to close the subject when he found himself pushed flat on his back, with Ventress straddling him.

“Our wedding night shouldn’t just be about me, Kylo Ren.” She murmured, running her fingers down his chest. “It should be about us.” She leaned down to kiss him again, and reached out with the Force, asking for its guidance on how best to pleasure him. Strangely enough, she got her answer when she sat back a little more and her butt felt something rather…hard pressing against it.

“Oh!” Her mouth opened a little and then she smirked. “…. _Oh_ …” The look she gave him could only be described as one that had nothing but the most wicked of intentions.

His mouth went dry.

She repositioned herself so that she was sitting more between his legs and coaxed him to help her get his black undergarments off (she almost expected to see a Vader tattoo on him or something) and then she was rewarded by the sight of his manhood, hard and ready for action.

“You were really just going to let this be unattended to all night?” She teased.

“I told you, Ventress…tonight was supposed to be about you and not me."

“Nonsense.” She then shifted her body a little, his hands going to her waist to guide her into position.

“Easy now…” She was still very aroused, but he was fully aware that this could probably hurt (although that point would be moot if he’d done his job properly). “Gently…"

As she took him into her body, she reached out to him through their bond and he reached out to her. In those precious few moments, they well and truly became one…a combined being and it was a feeling of pure euphoria. Neither of them had ever felt such passion, such want and such fierce, unyielding devotion before. It was intoxicating. And she knew he felt it too when he arched up to kiss her, driving himself further into her, it took all of her strength not to shove him back into the mattress and ride him into the sunset.

There was silence for a brief moment as she adjusted her body. He reached out for her hands and she grasped his tightly,, clinging to him as she began to ride him. At first it was slow, deliberate, her movements saying that she wasn’t entirely sure what she needed to do. He encouraged her, bucking his hips up and giving her an idea of what she needed to do.

Then, slowly, she began to pick up the pace. He reached up to meet her lips with a kiss and she pulled him against her, letting him feel every movement of her body against his. She wrapped herself around him, holding him as tightly as she could, never wanting to let him go, to let this go…as if the second she let him out of her grasp, she would wake up in in her AT-AT on the wastes of Jakku for another day of scavenging.

She felt him reach out to her through their Force bond, which just ramped up the intensity. Ventress could feel all that he felt, and then some. But more importantly, she could feel his walls shattering one by one and any temptation he had from the light going with them. He could feel the same in her. The darkness that had corrupted and consumed them had now spread through them, staining them.

There was no more light to be found in either of them, just passion, desire, devotion, loyalty, hatred and rage…but also a love so powerful and fierce that it had grown as black as their hearts. This was the love of the Sith, rare as it was, but powerful and destructive.

 _I love you…_ Her voice echoed through his mind, through their bond, as he kissed her shoulders, neck and face.

“I know.” He whispered, kissing her lips to silence a cry of pleasure.

She can feel his end coming and hers was not far off, so she shoves him back down against the bed and uses a little help from the Force to keep him there. His expression is one of wild abandon and he stares at her as she rides him to completion, throwing her head back and howling so loud and with such force the windows nearly shatter. His orgasm is just as powerful, actually breaking several of the nearby lamps thanks to amplfied “Force powers"

Or at least that’s what they would tell themselves later.

The afterglow is lazy and surprisingly gentle. He cleans them up, refusing to let her do a thing and then pushes a button to give her a view of the stars she’d never forget, promising all the while that this would be what he gives her when Skywalker is gone.

 

 

Kylo has long since gone to sleep by the time Ventress senses something outside their room. Curious and a little annoyed, she wrapped herself in his outer robe (it smelled just like him and made her sigh) and went outside to investigate.

Captain Phasma is waiting for her.

“Captain.” Ventress shuts the door behind her so Kylo wouldn’t be disturbed.

“Lady Ventress.” Captain Phasma bows, and Ventress wonders how she got her amor to be so shiny.

A moment’s silence passes before Ventress gets to the point. “How long have you been out here?"

“Long enough.” Phasma says, with a slight twinge of embarrassment. There’s something else under there, and a couple of Force probes later and Ventress is amused to find out what it is: slight jealousy. It seemed the good captain had a rather severe crush on Kylo Ren and was envious of Ventress’ good fortune in winning him.

A lesser woman would have made Phasma suffer for it, but Ventress saw something that could prove advantageous: a powerful ally on her side with whom she could depend on. She decided to use this. “Phasma, surely you have better things to do than stand outside his bedroom door all night, waiting for him to notice you."

Phasma said nothing.

“There’s no need to lie about it, Captain. I know your loyalty is more to him than to the First Order. I don’t intend to make you suffer for it. In fact, since you're so loyal, here’s your chance to prove it. When I am sent alone on missions I wish for you and your finest soldiers to accompany me. That way, Kylo Ren can be assured that I have the very best of protection. And I am sure that will earn you good favor from him."

Phasma considers this. “I don’t see why that would be a problem."

“Good.” Ventress was secretly pleased, but there was something else… and then suddenly she had to ask. “Why, exactly, are you up here?”

“I have a message for you from the Supreme Leader, Lady Ventress.” Phasma replies. “He wishes to see you…alone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *whispers* Phasma has a crush on Kylo Ren, pass it on.


	11. The Secret Mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like Leia, you're probably going to hate me for this.

In front of Supreme Leader Snoke, Ventress felt more naked than she had in the bedroom.

 

“I apologize for keeping you waiting, Supreme Leader.” She knelt, looking at the floor.

 

A long pause followed and Ventress tried hard to suppress her fear. But when she looked up and saw how Supreme Leader was looking at her, that was when she _knew_. He knew the true depths of her feelings for Kylo.

 

“So, this is the love of Sith…” Snoke mused, more to himself. “As it has been rumored, it is powerful and destructive…Ventress, you do love Kylo, don’t you?"

 

Lying to him was out of the question. “Yes. I do love him, Supreme Leader. For him, I would do anything. He’s taught me so much, as have you. With your combined wisdom, I have grown more powerful than I thought I ever could."

 

“Then you will have no problem assisting me in making sure he faces no more temptations from the light.”

 

“What must I do, Supreme Leader?” She was prepared for anything. Even to be sent to kill Luke Skywalker.

 

“You are to assassinate General Leia Organa. The Force is strong with her but she refused the training of Luke Skywalker. Without her the Resistance will fall to pieces…and the only thing that could tempt Kylo Ren back to the light will be gone.” Snoke sat back. “And perhaps with her death, we can finally crush Luke Skywalker."

 

“I understand Supreme Leader.” Ventress raised her head. “I am prepared."

 

“I will contact you again when it is time for you to prove your loyalty. That is all, Ventress.” The hologram disappeared and Ventress was left alone in the massive chamber, shivering from cold.

 

This was a test. She knew that. It was simply a test.

And it was one Ventress Ren had no intention of failing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is pretty short because I figured that making it longer would ruin it. 
> 
>  
> 
> Snoke basically realizes that Ventress/Rey is a powerful tool to keep Kylo Ren in darkness and he's having her kill Leia so that the problems that happened when Kylo Ren killed Han don't repeat themselves. It's also a ploy to finally get Luke out of fucking hiding and come face his damn problems. 
> 
>  
> 
> I have no idea how far I plan to take this story. We will see. I hope you guys are enjoying the ride.


	12. The Assassination

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter nearly caused me to stall out, but once I sat back and thought, it came to me. 
> 
> Also, this is why there's a warning for character death. Ventress/Rey is about to pass her point of no return.

Kylo Ren is awake when Ventress returns to the bedroom.

“Where have you been?” He asks. “I was concerned."

“Supreme Leader wanted to speak with me.” She doesn’t want to tell him why. “He is going to test my loyalty to the First Order, to the Knights of Ren…and most importantly, to you."

“I see.” Kylo knew all about tests. He was still convinced that killing Han Solo was his. “Do you wish to discuss it?"

“No.” Ventress wanted to do this on her own. “But you should know…he knows. He knows about our feelings."

This made Kylo sit up. “How does he…"

“He read me.” Ventress shivers and curls into Kylo’s side, wanting to forget how naked and violated she felt when Snoke had asked her if she loved Kylo. “I couldn’t hide it. So now, he wants to test me."

“Don’t worry.” Kylo was sure that Ventress’ loyalty was unquestionable. “I am sure whatever task he gave you, you will rise to the challenge.”

“I hope so, too…” She whispered. “I hope so, too."

 

It doesn’t take long for Ventress to find out exactly who General Leia Organa is: a Princess of a planet destroyed by the Empire, then a rebel commander and senator, and now a general of the Resistance. In another lifetime, Ventress might have admired the woman, but instead she saw her as a threat, especially once she figured out exactly why Snoke wanted her gone.

Kylo Ren was Leia’s son. He was considered “missing" or “possibly dead” according to official records (much like Han Solo), but only those in the First Order knew the truth: Snoke had lured Kylo to darkness and Kylo had turned on his family.

Suddenly, the remark Snoke had made about “removing the last temptations of the light” made perfect sense. Ventress herself had seen the damage the act of killing Han Solo had caused her lover. It had made him more confused, more conflicted and it wasn’t until she had begun her fall that he was no longer quite so tempted. She understood now what was required of her.

Kill Leia and eliminate the last family tie Kylo Ren had to rid himself of the call to the light. Ventress had to admit…it was a rather brilliant plan. She was equally honored that she would be the one to carry it out. The First Order needed their strength, after all…and it would be much simpler to crush the resistance if one of its most important generals were dead.

 

“We could use a sniper.” Ventress had taken Captain Phasma under her wing as her most trusted advisor and confidant and only the captain knew of what Snoke had asked of her. “It would be simple, clean, quick."

“Supreme Leader was insistent that I do it myself.” Ventress shook her head. The two were in council, planning the assassination. “I do admit that most of the time since I’ve been here is in training with Kylo. It’s time I got my hands dirty.” A pause. “Also, we’d need time to set up a sniper and time can both work for us and against us."

“The key is to find the resistance base. We find the base…” Captain Phasma looked at Ventress. “…we find General Organa."

“It would be best if we got her alone.” Ventress mused. “…but that’s not entirely possible. Looks like I might need a larger squad than normal…"

“How do you plan to do it?” Phasma asked.

“Lightsaber.” Ventress replied. “Mercy kill. I don’t want her to be in pain."

“There are rumors she is Force Sensitive.”

“She’s Luke Skywalker’s sister. Of COURSE she’s Force sensitive. But she’s untrained. She refused his training for politics.” Ventress put down her holopad and rubbed her temples. “This is turning out to be harder to plan than I thought…"

A sudden beeping on a nearby monitor caused both women to raise their heads.

“What’s going on?” Phasma asked one of the workers at the computer stations.

“Resistance fighters, ma’am.” One of the workers said. “It’s a convoy on its way to Couruscant and if this is true…"

Ventress took the time to reach out to the Force and listen. Then, it hit her. She _knew_. “General Organa is among them."

“What should we do, Lady Ventress?” Phasma asked.

“Prepare to board them.” Ventress knew that if she did not act now, she was not going to get another chance. “Phasma, assemble a group of your finest soldiers and ensure that no one and I mean absolutely no one or nothing gets off that ship."

“Yes, milady.” Plasma bowed her head and then turned around and immediately started barking orders.

 

Ventress returned to her room to fetch her mask. The time had finally come.

Boarding the resistance ship turned out to be a bit of a pain, but Phasma had everything under control by the time Ventress arrived.

“Casulaties?” Ventures asked as Phasma helped her on board.

“A few. General Organa has some loyal soldiers.” Phasma said. “It’s admirable really. Come. She’s this way."

 

 

General Organa was waiting for them in one of the large conference rooms of the ship, flanked by First Order Stormtroopers. She had an expression of calm serenity on her face and it didn’t change until she saw Ventress Ren and Captain Phasma enter the room.

“I was expecting Kylo Ren.” The general said. “I didn’t know the Order had a new enforcer.” Her expression had changed to one of slight disappointment.

“Sadly, my master was unable to attend these proceedings.” Ventress replied. “I am Ventress Ren and I will be acting on his behalf. I’m sure you know why we’re here."

“If you think you can just goad me into giving you the location of Luke Skywalker…."

“Spare me, please.” Ventress knew this wasn’t going to be easy. “We know he’s your brother. We know you know where he is. And I really am not nearly as good at…getting information out of you the way my master is. I want to make this easy for you."

“Who? Snoke?” The general stood up. “You think I’m just going to stand by and watch you people kill my brother?!"

“Well, originally, yes.” Ventress replied. “But we had kind of hoped you’d be dead before we went after him.” She narrowed her eyes at the soldiers who’d pointed at General Organa. “Down, boys.” A pause. “And Snoke is not my master."

The expression on the general’s face changed into something that Ventress would have pitied under different circumstances. “Kylo Ren sent you."

Knowing what she knew now, Ventress fell silent. That tone…that tone was one of heartbreak. “Tell me what you know and I will be merciful. But know this, General Organa…you will not save your brother, just like you were unable to save your husband."

The general bowed her head. “Then my son is truly dead.”

Ventress sighed. “General, I’m not going to ask you again. Tell us where Luke Skywalker is.” She was running out of patience.

In a last act of defiance, General Organa stood up and managed to rip the mask of Ventress’ face. “I want to look into the eyes of the person my son sent to kill me!” She snapped.

Ventress felt her blood boil. She looked the general dead in the eyes, surprised to see pity in the older woman.

“…you…you’re just a girl.” The general said.

“Enough.” Ventress ignited her lightsaber. “We’ll just have to find another way.”

It was over in seconds and General Organa lay dead on the floor, eyes frozen in an expression of horror.

Ventress sheathed her saber. “Search every record on this ship you can.” She instructed the troopers. “Report back to Captain Phasma if you find anything of even the slightest importance. Am I understood?"

“Yes, milady.”

 

On a distant planet, far, far away, Luke Skywalker felt something sharp lance through his heart. There was a great disturbance in the Force, but not like the one he’d felt when the Hosnian system was destroyed or the one he felt when he had lost Han…no this one was quieter, but far more painful.

“Leia….” He whispered. “…she’s gone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe losing his sister will finally inspire Luke to get off his ass and join the fight.


	13. Action Story, Quiet Drama Scene

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Action story, quiet drama scene time.

~3 months after the end of Chapter 12~

“You didn’t tell me the Supreme Leader sent you to assassinate Leia Organa.” Kylo was waiting for Ventress in one of their sparring rooms and he sounded…displeased.

“It was a private order for me and me alone. I didn’t want you involved.” Ventress replied. “She wouldn’t tell me what I needed to know. So I killed her."

_So you know then…_ His voice was suddenly in her head, their minds touching. _You know who she was._

_She believed you sent me to kill her. I let her believe that._ Ventress put her mask down on a nearby table. _It was easier that way._ He noticed she was shaking.

 

_There’s something else, Ventress…what are you not telling me?_

_You weren’t supposed to know. How did you find out?_ But then, of course, she knew that answer. She knew it was through their bond. He felt what she felt.

“Ventress…” He got out of her mind and walked over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders to calm her. “Calm yourself. I am not angry. She was…no mother to me.”

She looked up into his eyes. “Why did you turn?” She asks, sensing something vulnerable in him. “Why did you leave them all behind?"

“Because with them, I was nobody.” He tells her. “Do you know what I had to live up to? I was Ben Organa-Solo, grandchild to Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala and Bail Organa, child to Han Solo and Leia Organa….everyone had such high, high expectations for me, but perhaps they were too high. I was no politician and Mother was never around to teach me. Neither was Han Solo. I was no smuggler, either…too sensitive…and even if I could become a Jedi…I could never be like my Uncle or grandfather.” He brushes some of her hair aside. “Supreme Leader, however…told me I could be great. Powerful, feared, respected. Like my grandfather."

She understood now the fear she had seen when she had first gone into his head. Afraid he would never be strong as Darth Vader. Because if he wasn’t as strong as Vader had been…he was nobody again. And he couldn’t bear to be nobody the way he was with his family.

“I know all about being nobody.” She murmured, touching his cheek. “I’ve always been nobody. And then I met you and you awoke this power in me and turned me into…somebody."

“You’ve always had that power.” He told her. “You just needed some proper training.”

A long silence passed between them and he took a moment to peer into her mind, try to see what she was thinking. Then he felt it. Fear. Powerful, overwhelming, paralyzing fear. When she’d found him in their sparring room, she had been afraid he would be angry at him for not telling him about her secret mission. She was afraid that Snoke would be angry because she hadn’t been able to get the General to give up Skywalker’s location and that she would be punished. But she was most afraid that she had not passed the Supreme Leader’s test and would be killed.

“Oh my love…” He murmured to her, drawing her close to him. “…don’t be afraid.” He kissed her then, a warm and tender kiss that chased her fears away. “You did well. Even if you didn’t get the information from the general, you did what was asked. He will be pleased with your success, after all."

His words brought her comfort and she relaxed into his embrace. “So…” She begins, voice very quiet, “…you’re not angry at me?"

“Why would I be angry at you?” He stroked her hair. “Because you killed Leia Organa? Because you didn’t tell me? The Supreme Leader is wise and I have faith in him and you. He wouldn’t have given you his assignment if he didn’t have faith that you could do it.”

Ventress snuggled into his chest and sighed. “You’re right…I should have nothing to worry about, nothing to fear.” A question suddenly pricked at her mind. “What are you doing here, anyway?"

“I was waiting for you.” He replied. “I want to show you something."

“If its your mediation chamber, I’ve seen it."

A smirk. “No…it’s something even better."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My headcanon for Kylo Ren, which was put on display here, is that he fell to the Dark Side thanks to a huge inferiority complex and Snoke's manipulations, ala Palpatine and Vader. He felt like he could never live up to his family's expectations or what people thought he could be, and thanks to Snoke, he fell.


	14. The Assajji

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What does a wannabe Sith Lord get a wannabe Sith Lady?
> 
> A Super Star Destroyer.
> 
> Who needs diamonds?
> 
> (also, you might want to have the Imperial March playing)

Kylo Ren took Ventress to the bridge of the Star Destroyer, taking care to put his mask back on beforehand. “I have a present for you.” He told her.

“A present?” Ventress was intrigued, the idea of someone giving her something making her previous mood melt away. She’d never gotten a gift from someone before. “What kind of present?"

“Well, Hux grows bored with our presence on board the _Finalizer_ , so Supreme Leader and I decided that it was time that you and I and a handful of our best and brightest as well as some of the best from the First Order get a ship of our own."

Her interest is piqued. “A ship for us?"

“Yes. Here it comes now.” He pointed to outside the bridge were a massive Star Destroyer was coming into view. It was far bigger than any Star Destroyer than she had ever seen, even in the wastes of Jakku. It took a moment for Ventress to realize that this was not just a Star Destroyer, it was a _Super_ Star Destroyer. Her eyes grew very wide.

“Ventress, my dear, this is _Asajji_ , named for the Assassin who gave you your name.” He smiled and pulled her close to him. “And it is my gift to you."

Her knees grew weak and she had to hold on to a nearby console to stay upright. “It’s beautiful…” And it really was a gorgeous ship; it easily dwarfed anything she’d seen since joining the First Order and was probably a throwback to the _Executor_ , which had been Darth Vader’s Super Star Destroyer. “…this is for me?"

“Well, it’s for us, but technically yes, it’s for you.” He was looking more at her and her face than at the Super Star Destroyer. Yes, it was dangerous for a Sith to love, but there were records; it had happened. And Kylo Ren was now as devoted to Ventress as he was to Snoke. And he never thought he would find someone who looked at him the way she did. She looked at him as though he had the stars in his eyes and it was more than he could ever hope for. “Do you like it?” His voice, typically rough when he had his mask on, was surprisingly tender.

The sheer joy on her face, especially in her eyes told him all he needed to know. “It’s….it’s a wonderful present, Kylo Ren. I love it!"

“Shall we inspect the ship?” He asked, ignoring Hux’s icy glare. “It’s going to be our personal flagship, after all. Must make sure its up to standards."

“Yes!” She seemed almost giddy. But then she paused. “Can Captain Phasma come with us? She’s been quite useful and helpful to me, especially with my private missions."

“Of course she can.” She could have asked him for Yavin 4 and he’d probably agree to that.

 

In the background, Hux was rolling his eyes. Unfortunately, he happened to roll his eyes at the worst possible moment and Ventress saw him. Her mood instantly changed.

“General Hux, is there a problem?” She asked, eyes narrowing.

“Oh, nothing, really, I just thought you were supposed to be evil and you know, act like it. Not behave like love struck teenagers."

“And I suppose your idea of such behavior involves you posturing in front of thousands of storm troopers trying to sound like the Emperor.” Ventress said. “I saw the video of that little performance. “ A low chuckle. “Oh, General, you still have so much to learn."

“I’ll have you know that…” Hux suddenly stopped speaking and began grabbing at his throat.

“I find your lack of faith in us disturbing, General.” Ventress hadn’t had a chance to practice the choke yet, and she relished in the idea of being able to shut Hux up for a few minutes. “Or did Supreme Leader not divulge that it was I who helped us gain a critical advantage over the Resistance by murdering General Leia Organa?"

“Let him go, Ventress. It’s not worth it.” Kylo only half meant it.

“I just like watching him squirm, Kylo.”

“Yes, but we still sort of need him.”

 

Ventress sighed huffily and let Hux go, allowing him to collapse on the floor, gasping for air. She bent over him and affixed him with a look that was equal parts distain and amusement. “Hux, you poor, insecure little man, you have such a long way to go before you can even dream of reaching the heights of the Emperor…or even Grand Moff Tarkin. Of course, to your credit, you were smart enough to get off Starkiller Base. But you are nowhere near as intelligent as he was."

Hux gasped and was about to say something when her lightsaber ignited and pointed itself at his head. “Oh, do you have more to say?” She asked. “Please, keep talking. I’ve been DYING for a reason to cut you down."

Kylo Ren had to hide his pleasure at the fact that not only had his lover quoted Darth Vader, but had knocked Hux down a few pegs. The mask made it easy to do. He loved seeing the change in her from the unsure girl he’d met in the forests of Takodana to the confident and powerful woman by his side. Training her had been a wise choice. But for the moment, he had to save Hux from death by lightsaber.

 

“Ventress, there’s more I forgot to tell you."

She sheathed her lightsaber and stood. “What is it?"

“Well, we need a command general for the Assajji and I was about to suggest some candidates worthy of it. Of course, since you asked and since she was instrumental in helping us gain an advantage, I thought perhaps we could give Captain Phasma a promotion…"

“Do it.” Ventress said. “But remember, she reports directly to me.”

“Of course she does.” He could sense that Hux had soured her mood and it was simply easier for give her what she wanted until she calmed down. He was in no way eager to become a cyborg (no matter what delusions he had of becoming his grandfather). “Whatever you desire. Now, let’s go see about that ship…"

 

The _Asajji_ was an absolutely massive ship, only a touch smaller than the legendary _Executor_ , and the perfect symbol of the true military might of the First Order. It would have taken months for Ventress to explore every single nook and cranny, but the officers aboard were more than happy to show her a few things.

Supreme Leader’s orders had been that the _Asajji_ was to be exclusively under the command of both Kylo Ren and Ventress Ren. He had learned the two were much stronger together when they had each other and decided to use this to the advantage of the First Order. It wasn’t enough to just have a large, imposing ship. It had to have two equally imposing commanders as well.

 

 

“You seem pleased.” Ventress had returned to the bridge after her brief tour of the ship to find Kylo standing before one of the windows, staring out into space.

“My grandfather commanded a ship like this one back in the days of the Empire. I always wanted one of my very own.” He told her. “And now, I have it. I have you. My training is not yet complete, but I grow stronger each day. I feel like I am closer to having all that I desire.”

Most members of the Order were creeped out by Kylo’s Darth Vader fanboyism, but Ventress found it strangely endearing, especially after she had learned of what drove him to the Dark Side. Of course, he would look up to Darth Vader. It was an easier legacy for him to live up to than the ones forced on him. “Perhaps we should look into getting you a suit…"

When he turned to look at her through his mask, she imagined his annoyed expression and had to laugh a little. “The suit…is the only thing I would rather not emulate."

She’d seen the archives from the old Sith temples. The same suit that had been so intimidating to rebels and imperial officers alike had also been horrible on Vader’s body. “I am just teasing, darling."

 

A moment passed between them in comfortable silence. Then, Ventress knocked Kylo over with a question. “If the choice came between saving yourself and leaving me, would you leave me behind?"

“What do you mean?"

“Say I am injured in battle and too weak to go back on my own. Would you leave me behind to die and save yourself? Or would you take me with you?” She was clearly thinking of the family that had abandoned her. “Would you come back for me?"

From the second he’d lost his heart to this woman, Kylo Ren had personally vowed to protect her and to never abandon her. He had seen and felt the pain she had felt about being left behind on a junk planet. He knew her pain because he had felt it himself, being abandoned by Han and Leia with Luke. But her question still rattled him. “Do you think, Ventress, that I would leave you behind? Do you honestly think that?"

“I waited 19 years on a planet for people I thought loved me.” She murmured. “They said they would come back. So I waited. And waited…and waited. But they never came back. So, if you had to decide to leave me, I would understand. I wouldn’t hate you for it, at least, not after some time."

“We return together or not at all.” He told her. “Ventress, I am stronger now because of you. Teaching you, training you, all of it, and the Dark Side…has given me greater power than ever could achieve on my own. Even the Supreme Leader agrees. We are stronger now because we are together.” He took her hands and squeezed them tightly. “So, there is no choice for me to make. I leave a planet with you or I don’t leave it at all."

Her eyes grew very, very wide. “You’d come back for me?"

“Yes. I would.” And he meant it. He would have kissed her then, but then he noticed that just about all of the officers on the bridge were staring at them. One of them was visibly crying.

“That was beautiful!” Another officer said, quietly.

Kylo wanted to die on the spot and Ventress was utterly mortified. She felt like she had just been stripped naked in front of Snoke.

Silence fell over the bridge, save for the one officer who was sniffling quietly and trying to save face. After this moment, Kylo Ren spoke, his tone controlled and cold.

“If any of you speak a WORD of what you just heard to anyone else you will either have to deal with me or with Lady Ventress. And neither of us will show mercy. Am I understood?” A pause. “And DON’T think we won’t find out!"

With that, he swept from the bridge, Ventress close behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As mentioned in the text, the Asajji is named for the same assassin that gave Ventress Ren her name.
> 
>  
> 
> And I'm not going to apologize for being sappy.


	15. The Love of Sith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More sap incoming. (Sorry, not sorry.)
> 
>  
> 
> Yeah, sorry that the tone of this piece is all over the place.

It wasn’t until they got to the elevator that would take them to the upper deck that one of them said anything.

“I didn’t think they’d be listening.” Ventress was profoundly humiliated, having just exposed herself emotionally to an entire bridge of First Order officers. “Remind me to never say anything like that to you unless General Phasma is the only person listening."

“And wound her emotionally as well? You do know she has feelings for me, don’t you?"

“Oh, I know…I’m just surprised that YOU know."

“How did you…"

“I read her.” Ventress replied. “And I am not nearly so petty as to make her suffer for it, so you’re right. Not even in front of her. Bad enough she heard us on our wedding night…” She sighed and pushed a button that retracted her mask and she removed it. “General Phasma has proven herself quite invaluable. Even after the unfortunate…compactor incident."

“Never did figure out how she got out of there…”

 

Silence fell and she looked at Kylo. “There’s something you want to ask me.” She observed. “What is it?"

“When we get to our quarters, I’ll tell you.” He promised. “After what just happened, I’d much rather make sure we’re completely alone."

“Oh, we have our own quarters? Separate rooms or one to share?"

“You’ll see."

 

Much as it had been on the _Finalizer_ , their private rooms were on the upper deck. It was guaranteed to give them the space they needed for training, meditation, and…other things. And all things considered, they were glad for it.

When the elevator reached the top floor, Kylo Ren lead Ventress down a hallway to a massive study he’d arranged for her. The archives were full of Sith Lore and records and history of battles long past. He sat her down in front of a table and pressed a button to reveal an old story.

“You know, many people believe that because we have fallen to the Dark Side, that we Sith are incapable of love.” He paused to take his mask off, shaking out his rich dark hair (how did he get it to be like that?) and setting it down on the table. “Of course my grandfather turned because of love. Well, that and the stupidity of the old Jedi order, but mostly because he loved my grandmother, Padme Amidala. He wanted to stop her from dying. She did die, of course, by his own hands. A tragedy. But of course, he is not the only Sith to lose his heart to another…."

Ventress watched as the holograms depicted the end of Anakin and Padme in stunned silence. Then the scenes flickered and changed to reveal more Sith Lords who had fallen in love.

“Some say that love is a path back to the light side. At least that’s what the Supreme Leader believed. That’s why I killed Han Solo. I wanted to be stronger.” They didn’t talk about Han. Ventress had, even after her turn, never fully forgiven him for it. “But you…you changed his mind and mine…"

Then the holograms flickered again to depict an ancient Sith legend.

 

“Once, long ago, in ancient times, there was a Sith Lord and a Sith Lady. They had not turned because of one another, but different things drove them to the Dark Side and away from the light. But somehow, amongst the chaos going on amongst the Sith at the time, they had found each other.” Kylo spoke in a calm voice, reciting this as though he’d been practicing for a while. His emotions were unusually controlled and it made Ventress worry as to wether or not he was hiding something from her. “And despite every odd being against them, including the belief that the Sith cannot love and are incapable of feeling love, they fell in love. Madly. Passionately. That love they shared, that fierce devotion, kept them together even as the Sith Order was collapsing around them. For the rest of their lives, they were rarely apart. But they never went to the light, and always stayed on the Dark Side. So, it fell into legend that if two Sith ever came to love each other, it would be like no love the light had ever seen. It would be passionate, as all Sith tend to be, but still genuine, pure, true and full of devotion. It would even ascend them both to greater power, the sort of power no Sith could ever achieve on their own. But it could also, like it did to my grandfather, lead them to ruin. "

He paused in his story to look up at Ventress, who was looking more at him than the hologram. Her expression was one of curiosity. _What are you up to, Kylo Ren?_

“This is referred to as the Love of the Sith and it’s very rare. So rare that even Supreme Leader thought it to be a myth. A story told to us to keep us in the Dark. After all, we are warriors of intense emotion, not serenity. Who would ever love us?"

Her heart was in her throat, and judging by the change of tone in his voice, so was his.

“I too, believed this myth.” He pushed another button on the table and it opened up a section of it to reveal a something shaped like a flower of some kind. “I too, believed that the Love of the Sith could never, would never be more than a fairy tale. But then….you arrived in my life. You resisted me, you fought me, you escaped me. But somehow, you…you came to love me. I fully expected you to kill me that night on Starkiller Base. And instead you…you came with me.” A pause. “You loved me when I thought I was beyond love."

She turned her attention from the flower to him. Then she noticed the way he was looking at her. His dark eyes were full of something she couldn’t place, an emotion she could feel, but had no words for. She reached out to his mind through the Force and she found herself almost overwhelmed. She hadn’t felt this rush of emotions from him since she looked into his mind and saw his fears.

“Don’t be afraid…” She whispered, echoing words he’d said to her when he looked into her mind and on the shuttle. “…I feel it, too."

“Then you know….what we share. What I feel for you and you for me…is this. This is the Love of the Sith. It’s not a myth…it’s _real_ and it’s powerful and…and…” His voice broke then, his emotions on full display. “I am afraid. I am afraid I will love you too much. I am afraid that what happened to Grandfather will happen to me. I don’t…I never want to hurt you or cause you pain. I would do anything for you, you must know that.” A pause. “But selfishly, just like Grandfather did for Padme, I want to keep you all to myself. But I know what road that leads to…"

The image of Padme flickered on the hologram before vanishing.

“Ventress, I am afraid.” He repeated, softly, surprised when she got up from her seat and wrapped her arms around him. “I shouldn’t be afraid."

She embraced him more tightly. “Don’t be afraid…” She whispered. “…I’m here. We can avoid their fate, Kylo. It won’t end for us that way. What was it you said? That we’re stronger together than apart. That is how I know we will endure and survive. Just as you said you wouldn’t leave me, I will not leave you.” She looked up at him. “When I was in the cave, during my lightsaber trial…” It seemed like such a long time ago, but it was really only about 2 years. “…the Force showed me a vision. The past, the present…and the future. It was like the one I saw when I touched the Skywalker lightsaber. In the future, I saw us, together…I saw that your place was by my side and my place was by yours."

He stroked her hair, a gloved hand caressing her face. “Together…"

“Yes…” She encouraged him, reaching out with her feelings. “Together."

The warmth and love he felt from her seemed to ease his fears. His voice was softer now. “You know, you are the only person besides Supreme Leader who has ever looked at me and saw…well, I don’t know what you saw, but you came to me with no expectations, no image to make me into, to make me live up to. All you saw in me was Kylo Ren…and you loved me as I was. You don’t know how much that means to me."

“Yes I do…because I feel it too.” A pause. “I love you, Kylo Ren…just as you are."

“And I love you, Ventress Ren. Just as you are.” He kissed her then, careful not to hold her too tight.

 

They remained in one another’s embrace for a long, quiet moment before she remembered the flower on the table. She broke from him and went to inspect it. “What is this?"

A cough. “It’s why I brought you here…you see…” He pressed another button and the flower opened up to reveal a ring made of crystal as red as their lightsabers. “Ventress, this is going to sound incredibly corny, but….would you be my Dark Lady of the Sith? Forever?”

She gasped. “Are you…are you asking me to marry you?"

A nod.

Ventress inhaled and took off her black gloves to hold out her hand. “Then my answer is yes."

The ring was a perfect fit and it was quite a beautiful. It stood out against her skin, but in a way she found admirable.

“As I thought.” Kylo murmured. “It suits you."

She admired it for a brief moment before kissing him again, allowing him to pick her up and twirl her in the air. Then, just as he was about to put her down, he decided to carry her to their room, bridal-style.

“Where are we going now?"

“To the bedroom. I thought it was time we “christened” our flagship, don’t you?"


	16. Across the Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was really hard to do after the emotional rollercoasters that were Chapters 14 and 15.
> 
> The idea was a love scene, but it couldn't be hot like the one back in chapter 10. It had to be more emotional because both Ventress and Kylo are feeling very vulnerable right now. I had to throw at least three openings out before I found one that fit and even then I still struggled.
> 
> Writing is hard.

Under most circumstances, nights in their bedroom were passionate affairs. But tonight, something was different. The air felt different and Ventress sensed it the second Kylo set her down on the bed and then lay down with her.

Their fingers entwined. “What is it?” She murmured. “Kylo, what’s wrong?"

“I’ve never felt this way before…” He told her. “…I’ve never felt so emotionally naked. What have you done to me, Ventress?” She could feel it, she could feel his confusion and fear, but under that was love and she was surprised to look inward and found she felt the same way.

She squeezed his hand. “Don’t be afraid, I feel it, too."

He gave her a tiny smile at this. “You know, when I first told you that, it was because trying to read your mind hurt and scared me the way it did you. I wanted you to relax. You were scared. I took no pleasure in what I was doing.” A pause. “And now, we use it to calm each other. Must be the bond we have."

She smiled warmly at him, and stroked his face with her other hand. “Perhaps it is because after so long together, that we finally can strip ourselves of our armor, of our fear…of everything that made us afraid to commit, afraid to admit the truth….afraid…"

“…to admit that we love one another.” A pause. “The Jedi felt that all emotions can be turned against you by the Dark Side. It’s one of the few things Skywalker did right: prove them wrong.” He rolled them over on her back and kissed her warmly. “I want to say it a thousand times now that I’ve said it once.” He began to shower kisses all over her face. “I love you.” A kiss on the her neck. “I love you.” A kiss on her chin. “I love you.” He rained down kisses all over her face, one for each time he said those words, his voice overflowing with what he felt for her. “I love you and I won’t abandon you. Now…” He kissed the ring on her hand. “…we will be each other’s family."

Ventress smiled at this. “If it makes you feel any better, you’re not the only one whose lost their armor.” She sat up to try to kick off her boots. “Admittedly, on the bridge, I kind of wish it hadn’t been quite so obvious and waited until I was sure no one could hear…but…I was trying to tell you, in my own way, that I loved you. And maybe I shouldn’t have waited so long to do so.” She looked at him, nearly throwing her boots across the room. “After all…spend enough time alone on a junk planet and you’ll ask yourself just about anything….believe just about anything…"

“Try growing up with a bunch of Jedi in training who whisper about you behind your back.” He took this opportunity to take off his own boots. “And they weren’t very nice to my face, either."

“But you have such a handsome face.” She was surprised to learn this. He rarely spoke about his training years.

“And a very famous lineage and like I told you before…it was one I could never live up to. I seemed to fail at everything…except this. Except being Sith.” He turned and looked at her. “You…I look at you and you look back at me and I swear, it’s like you see the universe in my eyes. There’s so much in those eyes and so much I can feel through our bond that…I’m almost overcome. Ventress, how? Even after all I’ve done, all you know I’ve done…how can you love me?"

“You said it yourself. I came to love you for you. I had no illiusions of fixing you. I know that you have done things that others might consider unspeakable, but haven’t we both? Especially in the name of the Dark Side? The Sith? The First Order?” She moved over to his side of the bed to kiss him then. “And I could ask you the same. I killed your mother. And yet, you still love me.” Sensing he didn’t want to talk about that, and honestly, neither did she, she turned and lifted her hair up, exposing her back to him. “Unzip me."

Since she’d come to him, her skin had gradually lost its tan, and its paler color stood out sharply against the dark robes she concealed herself in. He relished getting a chance to look at it, so unlike so many times before, he took his time in undressing her.

“I never get tired of admiring how beautiful you’ve become.” He murmured as he pulled her robes off her, each piece getting the same tender care. “I wish you’d kept the tan, but since you’re no longer under the sun, your skin reminds me of moonlight…pale and soft.” His fingers found the tie she used to keep her hair up and undid it, allowing her brown hair to flow freely over her shoulders, framing her face. “And your eyes…it’s like looking into the stars…I could just…"

“You could what?” She helped him get her out of her loosened tunic before turning her attention to making short work of his belt.

“Look into them forever…” He confessed, helping her tug off his still oversized robes, which did his lanky frame no justice. The only thing those robes did for Kylo Ren was make him look like he was built wrong, which could be indimiataing, especially coupled with his mask. But she often wished he wore more flattering robes. His voice was very soft, taking on that tender quality he tended to only use with her. “I just kind of want to look at you forever…"

She traced her fingers along the scar on his face, a gift from their first duel. “You’ve never had this corrected..” She noted. “I’m sure a simple skin graft could…"

“No, I wanted to keep it. I consider it a gift…a reminder…a reminder not to underestimate any opponent I fight.” His eyes closed as she kissed the scar softly. “Besides, plenty of the men in my family have either scars or missing limbs. I prefer the scars.” His hair fell into her eyes and she marveled at its color, a rich black that matched his robes. She brushed it aside before kissing him softly.

He sighed with appreciation at this and her warm touch. He managed to get out of his robes fully and she admired the other scars he had, such as the marks on his right arm and a nasty looking scar from the Starkiller base incident. Even though years had passed, the scars still stood out on his pale white skin. She traced her fingers along the one on his left side and then another on his right one.

“You really, really should get new robes.” She remarked as he eased her back against the bed. “The ones you wear make you look like you’re a malfucntioning droid.” A pause and then she smiled mischieviously. “Or you could just forgo the whole ‘Darth Vader Jr’ thing and try to blind the world with your beauty."

“If people saw my actual face while I was trying to kill them, they’d never take me seriously.” He was fully aware that he was rather unusual looking, especially when compared to his father. “I know that I’m not that handsome. Someone once told me I looked like I was built wrong."

“Well, I hope you choked that person, because you’re beautiful.” She pulled him down for another kiss, sighing with pleasure as his hands caressed her warming skin. “I sometimes with you would at least ditch the mask ,so I could just look at you all day. "

“Consider it a privelge that only you get to have.” He began to kiss his way down her neck, taking notes on what to touch and where to make her breath hitch a little. His hands caressing her breasts got a delightful little moan out of her. He smiled against her skin.

She was taking care not to make too much noise as he kissed her right until she felt his fingers between her legs. The second he slid into her womanhood, she almost came right then and there. Her voice was lost into his lips and her entire body jerked.

“Shhhhh…” He murmured. “Relax…let me. Let me pleasure you tonight.” If you were to ask him, giving her pleasure was one of his favorite things. Kylo wanted to ensure that Ventress was satisfied each and every single time they came together. His fingers continued their work, probing curiously into her, testing out what she liked and what she did not.

She was about to raise her voice in protest but then his fingers found that one spot inside her that caused her to melt and she just moaned. It felt too good for her to complain, especially when his lips were all over her and his fingers were _there_ and he was hell bent on making her feel as good as possible.

“I love seeing you like this.” He had to contort his body to kiss her breasts as he continued his ministrations. “It’s lovely seeing you come completely undone. It reminds me of the first time we did this…I dreamed of your face in the throes of passion for weeks."

She moaned in response, past the point of words now as he nipped at a nipple before kissing his way down and slipping his fingers out. But just as he was lowering his mouth, her voice was in his head.

 

_No…not like that…not tonight. Tonight…I want us to be one._

_I thought we already were._

_You know what I mean…_ And then he looked into her eyes and understood what she meant.

_As you wish, my love._

 

He had to reposition himself to enter her, but he had no problem giving into what she asked.

Tonight, after they’d been stripped to nothing, their emotions, desires and fears laid bare before each other (and an entire bridge of First Order Officers), she needed to feel his skin against hers, the two of them moving in time. She needed them to be joined, both through their bodies and through the Force. She needed to know the story was real, that what they felt was real…that she wasn’t making it up in her head.

And from the moment their bodies joined, she reached out to him through their bond, desperate. To her surprise, his desperation was just as plain as her own. He’d never admit it, but he needed this as much as she did.

This was not just a ritualistic act. This was the art of _making love_.

They lost themselves in another, saying nothing except for murmurs through the Force. Her fingernails dug into his back, his mouth pressing warm kisses against her throat. They moved in time to one another until he pulled back and seemed to freeze and then, pulled along with him, they fell…together.

In the warm aftermath, Kylo pulled her close to his body. He wanted to wrap her up in him, but settled for stroking her hair and letting her relax against him. He was surprised how much he felt for this girl, and how much she felt for him.

He closed his eyes to sleep and was greeted with a vision, courtesy of the Force. He saw Ventress, resplendent in a black wedding gown. He saw her with a new lightsaber based off the staff she’d used. He saw the two of them on the bridge of a ship, together. He saw Snoke blessing their union (although he would swear later the Force was making that one up). Then, the visions flicked back to the past where he saw her alone on Jakku, waiting for a family that would never come.

“Don’t worry, my love.” He heard himself say before the visions ended. “I am your family now."


	17. Ventress' Dark Deeds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for a little World Building.

Ventress Ren would never fail to see the irony in, just after she and Kylo Ren had gotten engaged and been emotionally stripped, that Supreme Leader would separate them to test this bond. He knew the old legends well and while he promised not to try to drive them apart, he did remind them that they had work to do. Work that required them to be apart.

 

She’d always see that as a threat and had to be talked out of trying to ram her ship into the audience chamber by General Phasma.

“The Supreme Leader approves and really, that’s all you need.” The General had told her. “He knows all too well what happened to the last Sith lord who drove a pair apart."

“Only difference is it took Darth Vader 20+ years to finally overthrow that mad Emperor.” Ventress spat. “He’s trying to prove something, I know it."

But she had pledged herself to the First Order and that meant doing whatever Snoke wanted….and at the moment Snoke wanted her to take care of some Resistance cells in a distant star system.

Ventress was still mostly an unknown to the Resistance, save for the whipers of her being the one behind the death of General Organa, and after two years of keeping her in the dark, it was time for her to “come out and show your power”, as Snoke had put it. Kylo could not go with her.

So, that was how she was now on the Assajji by herself, with General Phasma and Tyranus Ren for company. Ventress had grown fond of the younger Knight of Ren and begged Supreme Leader to allow him to come with her, figuring he’d be more useful in a fight than on Lorthal.

They were heading back to the Western Reaches, where she’d come from to follow up a lead on a sect of resistance pilots leading some sort of coup. Ventress had been told to snuff it out, by any means.

 

 

“You’re nervous.” General Phasma said as she sat down across from the table in Ventress’ study. “You’re not used to being away from him, are you?"

“I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t the case.” Ventress shut her book. “But also because this will be the first time I’ve been required to kill in a while, since…you know. This may sound crazy, but I much prefer taking hostages or at least prisoners of war as opposed to outright killing. It’s less messy."

“It’s for the good of the First Order.” Phasma assured her. “Even though the Republic government is gone, we still have much work to do."

“I know it sounds silly to be so nervous, especially after I managed to murder a general, but even then….” Ventress paused. “You know, I didn’t tell Kylo Ren about the assassination for three months until he came to me about it. I could’t tell him. I was afraid he’d be angry. But he wasn’t. Instead he told me the Supreme Leader would be pleased and that he was pleased that I had carried out such an important mission.”

A pause. “I need him, Phasma. His strength steadies me."

“It’s just a test, Lady Ventress.” Phasma assured her. “You and Lord Kylo will be back together before you know it."

 

The sect turned out to be on Jakku, a planet that Ventress had no desire to return to, but gritted her teeth and went anyway. They decided on a nighttime raid of the small village, holding people up until they divulged the rebels in hiding. Ventress relished the fact that she could take out her lingering anger on something other than a piece of metal for a change.

“Who are you?” One villager shouted at Ventress after she had cut a rebel down.

“My name is Ventress Ren.” Her voice was colder than ice. “And know this: those who are enemies of the First Order are enemies of me."

 

 

As Snoke had hoped, Ventress took to her job as enforcer as though she was born for it. As it turned out, starting her out in the Western Reaches was a brilliant idea. She had no love for that area or its people and managed to successfully squash all the resistance cells and pick up critical information about where the Resistance had been hiding since General Organa’s death.

 

“So they’ve moved on from the Illeanian system.” Snoke mused from his chair as Ventress knelt before his hologram. She had just finished giving him her report on what had gone on.

“It appears so, Supreme Leader. With the Republic government in ruins and the Resistance on the run, it would be wise for us to spread our influence across worlds that would dare to oppose us.” Ventress said.

Snoke appraised her carefully. “You have grown considerably, Ventress Ren.” He observed. “I was concerned that you had grown too dependent on Kylo Ren and that it had made you both weak. I am willing to admit I was wrong. Even now, your desire to be with him…I can feel it…it drives your ruthlessness."

“I understand your interest in testing me, Supreme Leader.” She didn’t like it, would never like it, but she got it. “We’re no good as enforcers if we aren’t strong."

He considered this thoughtfully. “Very good…you’ve also grown wise. Ventress, my dear, I want you to send this information to General Hux aboard the Finalizer and then report back to me as soon as you meet up with the fleet. Understand?"

“Yes, Supreme Leader…” Ventress kept her head down until the hologram was gone. “I understand."

 

 

After the business in the Western Reaches was dealt with, Ventress was sent to Coruscant, mostly as a show of force. Most people there associated Kylo Ren with acting as enforcer and were very surprised to see Ventress Ren. A comment overheard by Tryanus had one man wondering how someone with such beautiful eyes could have been conscripted for the First Order.

Of course, more than a few people found out the hard way that Ventress was stronger than she looked…and also lost a hand when they attempted to touch her.

“You really need to stop doing that.” Tyranus remarked after he and Ventress had left a meeting with important First Order spies. Ventress hadn’t taken kindly to an older spy trying to feel her up and promptly cut his hand off. “It makes us look uncivilized."

“Touching a woman when she’s told you no, repeatedly, I might add, is uncivilized.” Ventress spat. “I don’t care if the First Order needs them. Find spies with some damned manners.” She glared at Tyranus. “And those others didn’t help either insisting that I asked for it. No man touches me unless I wish it."

“I do admit that their logic is flawed. You are covered head to foot in concealing robes. There is nothing to see.” Tryanus had to admit that he much rather deal with the Hutts than with some of the spies they had to work with. At least the Hutts had a sense of decency (and could easily be paid off). “And if they knew you were Lord Kylo’s lover…"

“I can defend myself without my master, Tyranus.” It was important to her that she came to be feared on her own terms, not because she was someone’s lover. “Otherwise he wouldn’t have chosen me."

A pause. “You miss him."

Ventress froze.

“I know the past few months have been hard on you because you haven’t had time to see him or speak to him.” Tyranus said, taking her arm and gently helping her move along. “I imagine seeing him would put you in better spirits."

“Supreme Leader was concerned that he and I had grown weak from being so closely linked.” Ventress wanted to slap Tyranus for such arrogance in discussing this, but it was nice to have someone else other than Phasma to talk to about it. “He wanted to test my strength away from my master. Kylo is a full Sith. I am merely an apprentice."

 

 

Tyranus reached into the folds of his robes and handed something to her in a box. “Take this."

She raised an eyebrow behind her mask. “What is it?"

“From him. He sent it while you were handling that business with that Skywalker cult. I was told to give it to you and send you to the Opera house."

“The OPERA house?” Ventress was furious that Kylo had contacted Tyranus and not her. “Tyranus…"

“He also told you not to be angry at him for talking to me. He knows you were busy with the Skywalker cult.” Tyranus cut her off to ensure she wouldn’t cause a scene. “And that he loves you."

She almost faltered at this, but took the small box. “When am I supposed to be there?”

“Tonight."


	18. A Night At The Opera

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, there was originally going to be a love scene in this, but I changed my mind.

That evening, Ventress Ren dressed in a black gown, took the box and headed to the opera house at nightfall. Upon announcing herself to her contact, she was quickly taken to a private box overlooking the stage and told to stay put. It wasn’t until she had settled into a seat to watch the performance that she opened the box Tyranus had given her.

Inside was a pendant with some kind of carving on it. Suddenly, a hologram popped up from inside the box. It was Kylo Ren, mask off. “This pendant is a close replica of the one that Darth Nemoida, the Sith from the legend of the Love of the Sith, gave to his lover.” The hologram explained. “Keep it close to you, my love, and know that I am always with you.” The hologram faded and Ventress clutched the pendant close to her heart, almost overwhelmed by seeing him again after months apart.

Just then, she sensed something behind her.

Quickly, she grabbed her lightsaber and ignited it, only for its red light to reveal….

 

“Kylo!” Ventress switched off her saber and rushed into the arms of Kylo Ren.

“I see your senses haven’t dulled.” He remarked, smoothing out his hair. He was dressed in understated black and not wearing his signature mask. He held onto Ventress for a long moment. “Oh, my love, it’s so good to see you."

“What are you doing here?” She asked. “I thought you were handling one of our networks on Naboo."

“I was, but I had to stop here for other business. Good job giving that one spy in our network need of cybernetics, by the way.” He kissed her forehead and then looked into wide eyes that were on the verge of tears. “Oh, I’ve missed you,” He kissed the corners of her eyelids.

“I missed you, too.” She confessed. “I am sorry I’ve been missing so many of your calls, but that Skywalker cult on Tattooine gave me no end of trouble. They’re not even Force sensitives! There was even a STATUE!” A pause. “You shouldn’t be here. Supreme Leader is testing us. He wants to make sure we are strong without each other. If he finds out you were here…"

He kissed her then to quiet her down, soothing her fears through their Force bond. “He is pleased with your work and thought you deserved a reward.” Kylo explained. “Now, tell me everything that’s happened. I heard you’ve made quite a name for yourself."

“I wanted to prove that I am strong on my own terms.” She told him. “And the Supreme Leader was wise to send me away. I’m glad for it. It has taken me to so many new worlds and I’ve seen so much…but I always wished you could have seen those things with me.” As she spoke, she lead him back to their seats so they could sit down. “Especially some of those Outer Rim places…”

“When this is over…” He promised, kissing her ring. “…I will take you to the Lake Country on Naboo. My family has a place there. I want you to see it because its’ very beautiful."

“Naboo?"

“Yes.” Kylo looked at her. “My grandmother, Padme Amidala was from there. Through connections with the Order, I was able to take control of the property owned by her family. So anything she owned back in those olden days belongs to me, her only grandchild. “ He fell silent for a moment. “Out of all in my family, she is the only one I cannot hate. Grandfather fell because of her and she was very noble and very beautiful. She had no end of admirers and men who wished to court her, but somehow, grandfather won her heart. It is a tragedy that he loved her too much."

Ventress had seen very old pictures of Padme Amidala when she had been a senator in the Old Republic and had to agree. The woman had been very beautiful. She was surprised he was telling her this. Kylo often went out of his way to avoid talking about his family, outside of Vader. “I would love to see it. I’ve spent so much of the past several months on desert planets…seeing water would be a nice change.”

She noticed then that his hand had never left hers and she turned to look at him. He looked back at her, and the look in his eyes caused her heart to beat faster. “I have missed you so much, Ventress.” He said. “Every night, I dream of you. I didn’t agree with Supreme Leader sending you off to the Western Regions, but after hearing of your success, I am glad he did."

 

“He said my desire for you made me more ruthless.” Ventress told him. “I admit it was partly that, and partly because I grow tired of bargaining with people who are trying to screw me over. I’ve spent most of my life being screwed over. But your training taught me well. I’ve grown much stronger during our time apart."

“I’ve seen your work on the holoscans.” Kylo was thrilled at how strong she’d become. “Even Hux is surprised. And I did see that nonsense with the Skywalker cult. Did they tell you anything?"

“They’re as clueless as the rest of us as to where Luke Skywalker is. But of course, if you worshipped the last Jedi as a god, would you know where your god is?"

“They really saw Skywalker as a god?"

“He’s the last Jedi. Of course they did.”

As the performance ended, he stood up to avoid the crowds. “Come with me.” He murmured.

“I shouldn’t…I have to get back to the ship. I still have…"

“Not tonight you don’t.” He was insistent. “I have a place."

“More of your holdings from your grandmother?"

“As a matter of fact…yes. She was a Senator, after all.” He smirked at her and lead her away from the opera house and into the cool evening of the city. It was thrilling, exciting, to suddenly no longer be Sith, to not be with the Order and to move amongst the city without anyone knowing who they were.

Never letting go of his hand, she followed him. She was going to get to have Kylo Ren all to herself for a night. It was hard not to be happy.

 

It wasn’t until they’d reached the privacy of Kylo Ren’s apartment that they kissed. She sighed as their lips met again, the feeling being better than any of her multiple dreams. But then again reality was always better than a dream.

“Oh, how I missed this..” He murmured, their lips still briefly touching. “The Finalizer is so lonely without you. Hux keeps remarking on how its easier for him to sleep, but its hard for me to sleep knowing you are so far away."

She smiled. “Well, just for tonight, we won’t be so far apart, now will we?” She stood up on her toes to kiss him again, wrapping her arms around his lanky frame.

A rare smile crossed his handsome face and he then suddenly scooped her up into his arms and carted her off to the bedroom.

“Yes.” He agreed. “Just for tonight."


	19. Ghosts of the Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you love Finn, I am INCREDIBLY sorry for this chapter. I really, really am.

After their night together, it was hard for Ventress to leave Kylo, but her orders had been for her to go to Yavin 4, the old Rebel base and take care of another sect of the resistance.

 

To General Phasma’s credit, she didn’t lecture Ventress when Ventress returned to the ship. All she’d asked was a simple “Enjoy the opera?"

Ventress smiled. “Oh yes."

 

 

“You know, we shouldn’t be surprised that the resistance is hiding a sect on this moon.” Tyranus said. “It was an important Rebel base back during the days of the Empire.” He, Ventress and Phasmsa were gathered around a table, looking through information. “In fact this is where that attack by Skywalker was launched on the original Death Star."

“How big is this sect?” Ventress asked.

“About as big as the Skywalker cult.” Phasma replied. “But hopefully, not as organized."

“Remind me never to go to Tattooine. Ever again.” Ventress muttered under her breath.

Tyranus looked at her. “That’s what Darth Vader said."

 

 

The one thing Ventress was not expecting when they got onto Yavin 4 was a fight. It seems word about her had spread, although she wasn’t all that surprised that once she’d arrived, that they seemed content to fire blasters at her. Child’s play. Easily handled.

Storming the base was a simple affair and Ventress ordered the place locked down while she and Tyranus handled it. One thing she gave Phasma credit for: she was ruthlessly efficient. In fact, it took the general no time at all to round up the rebels they hadn’t killed on the way down in the conference room and lock the door.

Ventress and Tryanus wasted no time. Their goals were to eliminate the sect and to find out if any of them knew were Skywalker was. The map memory had long since vanished from Ventress’ mind, so they’d had to start from scratch.

“My name is Ventress Ren.” Ventress then gestured towards Tryanus. “And this is my associate, Tyranus Ren. And I suppose you know why we’re here."

“To kill us!” One pilot shouted, only to get knocked out by a storm trooper.

“Only if you prove uncooperative.” Ventress continued as though the interruption barely registered. “All I want to know is if any of you know where Luke Skywalker himself is. I know you’ve seen the map. Provide me with what I need and I might let you live. As our prisoners of course, stranded on the Hoth system, but still. Alive."

“I didn’t know the First Order had women amongst its ranks.” Ventress was about to unsheathe her saber when another, more familiar voice spoke against the first one.

“My captain was a woman. Of course the First Order has women.”

The voice was one that she hadn’t heard in a long time. One that the last she heard of it, was screaming her name in the snow.

Ventress turned sharply and looked at a corner of the table where the second speaker sat. Her heart dropped into her stomach.

 

It was Finn.

 

 

General Phasma actually knocked the first speaker out, huffing the entire way and muttering about how backwards some cultures were.

 

 

Ventress stared at Finn. Something in her wavered. “You.” She pointed to him, pretending she didn’t know who he was. “What’s your name?"

“Finn.” Was all he said before he blasted her in the face.

Ventress dropped to the floor, her mask taking the brunt of it.

“Lady Ventress!” Tyranus went to her immediately as the Stormtroopers managed to grab Finn and haul him to Ventress and General Phasma.

“I’m fine!” Ventress was grateful for the mask. She took the smoking mask off before it could burn her skin. “I was just caught off guard.” She turned to look Finn in the face and suddenly she understood a vision she had had two nights before. It had shown her Finn and there was a whisper of “Who are you more loyal to? Him or Kylo Ren?"

Finn’s eyes widened. “Rey?"

Hearing that name only made her angry and she had to clutch her saber hilt tightly to avoid slashing his throat. “That woman is dead.” She said, coldly.

“Lady Ventress?” Tyranus asked. “You know this man?"

“I did…a long time ago. Another lifetime, you could say.” Ventress knows Tyranus could sense her fear. “Do you remember that Stormtrooper who defected before the Starkiller base incident? This is him.” She makes a motion for Phasma to stay where she is. She then turns her attention to Finn. “So, Kylo Ren kept his promise. You survived."

“Rey…you’re alive! I thought you died on the base. No one found you, no one knew what happened to you…I thought…Rey…what are you doing? Why are you in the First Order? What happened to you?” A pause. “I’ve been looking for you all this time…."

Ventress’ grip tightens on her saber.

 

_Who are you more loyal to?_ A voice whispered in her head. It was low, deep, sinister. It made her shiver inside. _This man, who got you off Jakku, or to Kylo Ren, who has given you so much more than this “Finn” ever could?_

“My name isn’t Rey!” She shouted, the Force reacting to her anger and sending more than a couple of people in the room off their feet. “The woman you saved from Jakku is dead and she is not coming back! DO NOT CALL ME THAT!"

“Rey…this isn’t you.” He would not be intimidated. “This is the Dark Side. It’s not you! You aren’t like this!"

“Shut up!” Ventress was starting to lose her composure.

_Kill him._ The voice whispers. _He only sees you as that girl from the desert of Jakku. He will never look at you the way Kylo Ren does. He’ll try to take you away from Kylo Ren, bring you back to the light. Kill him. Free yourself of your ties. There is only the Order, the Knights of Ren, Kylo Ren. They are your family now. **KILL HIM**._

He tries once more to get through to the girl who once looked at him like the stars were in his eyes. He tried one more time to get through to Rey, not knowing that Rey had died in a cave on Lorthal. “Rey! Please!"

Her saber ignites.

 

Kylo Ren is in a meeting with Hux onboard the _Finalizer_ when the Force tremor nearly sends him to his knees. It wasn’t a regular tremor, either, it was one coming directly from his bond with Ventress. Something was wrong. Her pain was so powerful that he could feel it for himself.

“Sir?” One of the officers went to his side. “Are you alright?"

“Ventress…” Kylo Ren mumurmred to himself. “She needs me."

 

Finn’s body fell to the floor and Ventress was reminded of the look in General Organa’s eyes when she died.

The conference room fell silent.

Ventress looked up, rage burning in her eyes. “Tell me what you know or you do not leave this room alive."

It turned out that none of them knew where Skywalker was or had even seen the map. The entire thing had been a waste of time. That just made Ventress angrier.

“What do we do now, Lady Ventress?” Phasma asked.

Ventress spoke in a tone so cold, Phasma swore her armor turned briefly into a refrigerator. “Kill them."


	20. Truth & Consequences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nobody ever said that falling to the Dark Side came without consequences.

For the first time since she had come to the Knights of Ren, Ventress Ren knelt before Supreme Leader Snoke and made no effort to hide her emotions from her master. Her rage, her pain, her doubt…all of it he could feel as surely as though they were his own.

“My child, what troubles you?"

“That sect on Yavin 4 knew nothing.” She said. “It was all a waste! All this time and I’ve been chasing false leads!” She looked up at him. “Forgive me, Supreme Leader. I have failed."

“You haven’t failed, Ventress." Snoke assured her. “Your work has helped us to spread our influence. You have done well.” A pause. “Tell me, child. What is really bothering you?"

Ventress looked up at the Supreme Leader again, her pain on her face and told him everything that had happened on Yavin 4. She left no detail out. “I lost control of myself, Supreme Leader. He kept calling me Rey, I begged him not to, but he kept telling me to come back. But I know there is no coming back, and then…I saw red. I felt power like I’d never felt…a rush…."

“That, my dear, is the power of the Dark Side. You have never killed out of hate before, so that is why you were overwhelmed. It is alright to feel as you have felt. Kylo Ren did the same. Do not be afraid. Your anger powers you. As does your pain. This is the Force’s way of testing you."

“So that’s what my vision meant.” She looked up. “It told me to choose. Between Finn and Kylo Ren. My heart was still confused and despite the pain I feel…my heart is confused no more."

“Then that means you have made your choice.” Snoke always seemed to know what to say. “The Force asked you to choose."

“I see.” It made sense. It felt like the past several months had been nothing but a long series of tests. She wondered if it would ever end. “Between the Dark Side and the Light…and I chose the Dark Side.” A pause. “I chose the only family I have ever known."

“You have grown strong, child.” Snoke said. “Very strong.” A pause. “Now, take some time off. You’ve earned it. Plan your wedding. I will contact you when I have new instructions."

“Thank you, Supreme Leader.” She bowed her head as the hologram vanished.

 

 

After she had left the audience chamber, Ventress went straight up to her study and locked herself in. Reaching into her robes, she pulled out the pendant from the night at the opera. She clutched it tightly in her hand and then, reached out with the Force.

_Kylo…Kylo, I need you._

She knew he probably was so far away that he couldn’t hear her. But she held it against her chest and tried harder. But still, silence. She slumped in her chair and sighed. She should be stronger than this. This shouldn’t have shook her up so bad.

She had made her choice. There was no going back. But the point of no return did not come without pain. She knew that from Kylo Ren. She knew that from her training. So, she held onto her pendant and knew that this would soon pass.

 

 

“General Phasma, we’re being hailed.” One of the bridge officers said.

“By who?” Phasma asked.

“General Hux and the _Finalizer_. But more specifically, Lord Kylo. He’s asking about Lady Ventress.” A pause. “And he insists that we don’t lie."

“Tell him that Lady Ventress is on board. She went to see Supreme Leader when we came back from Yavin 4 and no one has seen her since."

Before the officer had a chance to reply, Kylo Ren’s voice came through the speaker. “General, what happened?"

“It’s just as I said. When we returned from Yavin 4, she went to her room, then to see Supreme Leader. We haven’t heard from her since. I am..concerned.” Phasma wasn’t expecting to have to explain this to Kylo Ren.

“But you know she’s on the ship?” Kylo asked.

“We would have known if she left.” Phasma replied.

A pause.

“I’m coming on the ship.”

“Understood. I’ll send a group to greet you."

“Don’t. I know where she is."

 

 

The second Kylo Ren had arrived on the _Asajji_ , he reached out through the Force bond for Ventress. _Ventress…Ventress, I’m here. I heard you._

_Kylo…I need you._ He could feel it, he could feel her pain. He wasted no time getting to the elevators that lead to the upper decks of the Super Star Destroyer. He said nothing to anyone, save for Phasma. “I know where she is. She’s in her quarters."

 

 

The sound of the doors to Ventress’ study opening startled her and she nearly unsheathed her saber until she saw who had come to see her.

Kylo Ren took his helmet off and placed it on the table. Before he had a chance to say anything, Ventress was out of her chair and in his arms…and crying.

“It’s all right now, my love.” He murmured. “I’m here now. I heard you.” He stroked her hair. “Tell me what happened on Yavin 4."

“Finn.” She said. “You kept your promise, but…I wasn’t expecting to see him. He called me Rey. He told me to come back. He begged me. He kept calling me Rey.” She paused. “And I lost my temper."

It was like hearing how he killed Han Solo all over again. “So you killed him in rage."

“How…"

“I felt it. Your pain…your anger…and your sadness.” He made her look into her eyes. “And your regret."

“I chose this life. I shouldn’t be feeling regret.” She buried her face in his robes. “His death shouldn’t shake me up. But…I wasn’t prepared. I was not ready and I failed this test."

“No, no you didn’t.” He assured her. “You came back to me, didn’t you? You made your choice.” He stroked her hair. “I have felt what you felt. It will pass, in time."

At that, Ventress could say no more and she simply wept silently into his robes.

 

 

Eventually, she cried herself into exhaustion and Kylo decided to put her to bed. Under normal circumstances, he thought he would be overjoyed at finally being able to sleep beside her for more than a single night, but her pain dulled his joy. It was hard to be happy when his beloved was so scared and conflicted.

As she slept, he reached out to her through their bond for comfort. A vision of his hand taking a hold of hers greeted him and he felt something in her relax. He curled his body around hers, trying to form a human shield to protect her from all that would hurt her.

 

 

In the middle of the night, she woke, surprised to find that he was also still awake. She curled up next to him and said, after a moment of thought, “I hated the way he looked at me."

“Who?” Kylo had been reading and he put his book down to look at her.

“Finn.” A soft sigh. “I can’t describe it, but he looked at me as though…as though he pitied me. I couldn’t stand it. But I should have been more in control…"

“We are Sith, my love. Sometimes, more often than we’d like to admit, we’re ruled by our passions. Don’t apologize for it.” He kissed her forehead to silence her next question. “No, not tonight. I will not take you when your heart is so confused."

“For a Sith, you certainly have standards."

“Some of us are more civilized than others. Be thankful you never met Darth Maul.”

For the first time in what seemed like months, that actually made her smile.


	21. Heart By Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SAP. LOTS OF SAP. I'm not sorry.

It took a few days before Ventress left her quarters, finally at peace with her choice. She had to let go of the past, after all. Just as she’d accepted that her family would never come and that the person she had been was now long dead, she had to accept that Finn was no longer necessary. He’d been an infected limb…and so she’d cut it off.

She had a new family now. The Knights of Ren, the man she loved, the First Order itself…they had become the family she had always wanted. But none of them meant as much to her as the man who looked at her like she was everything in the universe: Kylo Ren. And it was his unshakable love and faith in her that inspired her to finally break out of her minor depression (well, that and it frankly wasn’t becoming for a Dark Lady of the Sith to be holed up in her room all day).

 

 

When Kylo Ren saw her come into her study, looking rested and refreshed, he set down his book and got up to embrace her. “Feeling better?"

“Much.” And she meant it. Her heart was free of its earlier fear and confusion. “I just needed some time alone in deep meditation. Even Sith need to learn control. When we lose our grip on control, things like what happened to the Emperor happens."

He nodded. “Now, Supreme Leader spoke with me while you were in your meditation, and he told me he told you to take a break. I think, after what went down on Yavin 4, you could use one. We can take the time to plan our wedding."

“We have a job to do, Kylo Ren.” Ventress replied. “We don’t take breaks."

“Heed his wisdom, my love. Some time to plan the wedding and to be truly alone together would be good…for both of us.” He stood before her and stroked her hair. “How about we spend some time at the Lake Country in Naboo at my Grandmother’s old home? I’m sure the location will be good for you."

Admittedly, Ventress had been aching for time with just Kylo since he’d come back to the ship and for some time to get away from the confines of the First Order. And the idea of getting to go someplace so beautiful just made her spirits lift. “All right.” She agreed after thinking it over. “I suppose some time away would be nice."

 

A few days later, the couple departed for Naboo in Kylo Ren’s private ship, not using their usual command shuttles. There was no need to frighten the locals and make them fear it was an invasion of the First Order. To ensure their privacy, they even changed clothing from their standard black robes.

“How much longer until we arrive?” Ventress came out of the back of the ship after having changed clothes. “Not much longer, I hope."

“A couple more hours, Ventress. I think you’re going to like Naboo. It really is a beautiful…” Kylo Ren began to turn around to look at her and then the ship nearly stalled. There was a brief hiss as he took his mask off to get a better look and she found it very amusing that his mouth was so wide open.

Ventress Ren had managed to polish herself to a fine finish, dressed in a rather simple backless dress that was some shade of red, her hair lose and wavy around her face. Her throat was wrapped in a necklace of some kind to match her dress. It reminded him of the vision he’d had of her in a black gown and it just made him sigh with pleasure. She was beautiful in black, but even more so in red.

“How do I look?” She twirled around in her dress.

“Beautiful.” He put the ship on autopilot so he could admire her. Her joy was almost contagious and he found himself smiling just by being near her. “You look like a Queen.” Kylo got up to get a better look and was greeted with another twirl. “They’ll never suspect us."

“That’s the idea.” A pause. “You should get changed. And leave that mask here."

It was rare that Kylo ever took his mask off, but Ventress had been around him long enough to know that people associated him with it. If he didn’t have it on, he wouldn’t be recognized. She sensed his hesitation.

“No one knows your face, Kylo.” She pointed out. “But everyone knows that mask."

He sighed, knowing she was right. “All right. I’ll leave it behind. I suppose it would be nice to leave our usual roles behind for this trip. Now, what on earth am I going to wear?"

It turned out that Kylo owned nothing but black clothing and Ventress was not about to let him go on Naboo in a First Order uniform. So, they would up settling for a variation on the understated black robes he had wore to the opera. And fortunately, said robes fit him much better than the ones he usually wore.

Her sigh of pleasure at the sight of him in clothes that actually fit him properly mirrored the one he’d had at the sight of her. “Oh, I think I may be the luckiest girl in the galaxy.” She murmured. “I was right. Well fitting clothes do wonders for your body."

And indeed they did. The robes accented his lanky, lightly muscled frame and his height, giving him a different appearance and bearing. If Ventress squinted a little, she could see a little flash of Leia Organa in Kylo (although she was smart enough to not voice that opinion aloud). He didn’t to much for his hair, but she noticed he was standing straighter and carrying himself a little differently than usual. It had shades of a more regal bearing and it did wonders.

“I’m not too proud to admit when you’re right. But these clothes are only for while we’re here. I find that how I normally look does wonders for intimidation.” Kylo said, affection in his voice. “But I do like this look."

“It makes you look like a Prince.” Ventress commented.

“Technically speaking, I am one. Even though Naboo doesn’t pass the Queenship through lineage. If they did, I would be considered a prince, if not a King.” He told her. “And if I was king, you would be queen.” He kissed her forehead. “Come, we’re almost there."

 

 

When their ship landed on Naboo, another member of the Knights of Ren and a First Order contact, Opress Ren, was there to greet them.

“Lord Kylo.” Opress was rather stout and was dressed in slightly ill fitting robes. He bowed respectfully to the Master of the Knights of Ren. “It is an honor to see you again and so soon after…” His voice faltered almost immediately when he saw Ventress get off the ship.

“Opress, I don’t believe you’ve met my betrothed.” Kylo took Ventress’ hand and lead her to the other Knight. “This is Ventress Ren."

“The same one who took down that Skywalker cult on Tatooine?” Opress’ eyes widened. “She’s your betrothed? You didn’t tell me she was so beautiful.”

“I’d like to think my beauty isn’t my only important quality.” Ventress said.

“No, no, you’re well admired among the rest of us, Lady Ventress.” Opress was quick to correct himself. “It just that, aside from Lord Kylo, none of us have ever seen your face. Except perhaps Tryanus, but he refused to describe you. And now I can tell the others what you really are: beautiful and deadly.” A pause and then Opress recovered, deciding to change the topics. “Lord Kylo, why are you back here so soon and unmasked?"

“Lady Ventress and I are going to my grandmother’s retreat in the Lake Country. Supreme Leader has insisted we take some time off.” Kylo replied. “We of course need a transport."

“Of course, of course…” Opress replied. “Come, this way."

 

 

As Kylo had hoped, Ventress fell in love with the Lake Country as soon as she saw it. Their journey to his grandmother’s home took longer than expected, but she loved each and every moment of it.

“I’ve never seen so much green and so much water and so much…beauty before.” Ventress was sitting at the front of their boat, letting the wind whip her hair around. “It’s so beautiful."

“Very different from the wastes of Jakku, isn’t it?” Kylo asked. He was actually smiling, his smile making his entire face look different.

“Yes…” She reached out to touch the water and sighed happily. “I used to dream about places like this when I was little. I never thought I would get to see them for myself."

“Well, now you’ll get to see all kinds of things. Now you’ve seen all kinds of beautiful things.” He took her other hand and kissed her fingers, causing her to giggle. “And I intend to spend every second of the time we have together showing you all sorts of beautiful things."

 

 

When they arrived at the lake house, Kylo wasted no time showing Ventress around. It had been a while since he’d last been there, but at least it had been well kept in his absence. She took everything in with wide eyed enthusiasm and asked many questions.

 

 

At sunset, he found her on an upstairs balcony, watching the sun set over the water, turning it to shades of red and gold. She had changed into a simple white nightgown and her expression was one of utter bliss and contentment.

Kylo Ren had thought at one point that he couldn’t possibly be more in love with the only woman who’d ever loved him back. He couldn’t be more wrong. Looking at Ventress, especially after so much time away from her and after her minor breakdown, just made his heart sing. She was the greatest gift the Dark Side had ever given him (aside from his power, but that was a given) and all he wanted to do was protect her, cherish her and love her.

“You look beautiful, Lady Ventress.” He said, startling her.

She turned around to look at him, taking in the robe and sleeping pants he wore. “And you look equally handsome, Lord Kylo.” She paused. “I swear, you could write a series of romance novels with your feelings right now."

“Am I that obvious, Ventress?” He asked, coming to stand beside her on the balcony.

“Just a little.” His feelings had almost overwhelmed her end of their Force Bond. She looked up at him then and suddenly, he could feel her emotions, which were just as strong as his own. He could feel all she felt for him: passionate love, intense desire, a fierce need to protect him the way he did for her and above all else, joy. Joy, at finally having a place to belong and someone to belong there with. “You know how you feel that I’m the greatest thing the Dark Side ever gave you? That’s how I feel about you in return. If I didn’t have this power…I wouldn’t have you. You, who have given me everything."

“I’d give you a planet if that’d make you happy.” He promised, half meaning it, which made her laugh.

“Really, a planet?” He pulled her into his arms at her laughter, nuzzling into her hair. “Any planet? Can I pick one?"

“Whatever one you like. Perhaps I’ll talk Supreme Leader into allowing you to choose the next planet for conquest.” He kissed her forehead.

She relaxed into his arms. “Thank you…"

“For what?"

“For bringing me here. You’re right. This is just what I needed.” She stood on her tip toes to kiss his nose with a shy smile, only to be very surprised when he kissed her full on the lips in return.

Suddenly, he picked her up in his arms and carried her back inside the house with a mischievous look on his face.

“Kylo!"

“Let’s go inside, my love. I’m sure I can figure out the other thing you need…and I would much rather do it in a more…comfortable place."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Opress Ren is named for Savage Opress, another Sith Lord (from the Clone Wars cartoon) and Darth Maul's brother.


	22. Beneath A Moonless Sky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was supposed to be more sexytimes, but I was kind of hitting a wall. But I liked what I did get out too much to just discard it, so it became its own chapter.

Kylo only put her down once they’d reached the living room. While she’d been roaming around outside, he’d managed to cover the entire living room in pillows and blankets and started a fire in the fireplace. He proceeded to lay her down amongst said pillows and then just sat back for a moment and admired her.

“I see now why Darth Nemoida was so protective of his lover and so devoted to her. Many Sith will never understand it, the power of love.” He fingered the pendant he had given to her, which she had taken to wearing around her neck. He wondered how they’d gotten to this point and then, when he thought back to their training, it hit him.

The best way to ensure Ventress stayed by his side, to draw her deeper to the Dark Side, was to give her everything her heart desired. Kylo Ren did more than give her instructions on how to use the Force. He’d made her feel valued, special, important. He gave her a valid outlet for the anger she’d been holding onto for so long and never made her feel lesser for her feelings. He encouraged her passion, her anger, her rage and her despair. And in turn, she encouraged his own passions. She was the first person who had ever listened to him, who had ever given him the love and attention he’d always wanted. And then, he understood. He’d given her everything she’d wanted and in return she had given him all he wanted.

It was as if the Force had truly wanted them to be together.

“Perhaps if more Sith knew love, they wouldn’t be in such a hurry to kill each other.” Ventress remarked, remembering her history.

“Perhaps.” He bent down and kissed the pendant. “You wear this well."

“What can I say?” She stroked his face with the hand her ring was on. “I just look really good in red."

When she looked at him that way, like the stars were in his eyes, he was lost to her.

“I love you.” He murmured, leaning in for a kiss.

A small smirk crossed her lips. “I know."

And he kissed her then and she just sighed. She wrapped her arms around him to pull him closer, wanting to lose herself in him.

Their kisses were warm and lazy, with hands ghosting over warm skin, just brushes. He was unsure if she wanted this here or if she wanted to wait. Most would say to take the opportunity, but Kylo Ren was not like most people. Kylo Ren rarely did anything to Ventress Ren that she didn’t expressly agree to. Finally, after another kiss, his hands wandered lower, brushing over her waist and thighs.

Her soft moan told him all he needed to know, but he decided to reach out, make absolutely sure.

_May I?_

Her voice sounded breathy and sort of desperate. _Yes…please…yes._

His fingers hiked up her nightgown and found their way to her womanhood and then took their time exploring. Her cries were swallowed by his mouth, but he was unable to stop her hands, which took the time to not only seek him out, but palm him through his sleeping pants.

His gasp made her giggle and she gave him another squeeze, which caused his fingers to stop as he gasped.

“Don’t go starting fires you won’t be able to put out, Ventress.” He growled against her throat. She loved his dulcet, baritone voice when it wasn’t being modulated by his mask, especially when he was growling like that. That just made her more daring.

“Try and stop me.” And then she squeezed him again. He groaned and she felt him twitch under his grasp. He was _hard_. What made this better was that she knew just how sensitive he was. His feelings tended to bleed through their bond and that was how she knew he loved this. He loved it when she touched him.

His fingers were suddenly back inside her, and with a vengeance. Her entire body seemed to freeze, hands included and she heard him chuckle. “Let me…” He breathed. “Let me…"

 

And so, she did.


	23. Sense & Sensibility

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These last few chapters are very much based off the scenes in Attack of the Clones between Anakin and Padme, only without the wooden dialogue.

When Kylo awoke, he found Ventress stretched out in their makeshift bed, gloriously naked and on her holopad. She was flipping through different wedding dress ideas, trying to find something that would suit her.

"Anything catching your attention, Ventress?" He asked sleepily, rolling over onto his stomach and looking up at her.

"Is it too much to ask for something that's not white?" She sounded frustrated. "I refuse to marry you in white. It would look ridiculous. I'd look like a stormtrooper."

"Maybe you'll have to custom order it." He suggested. "I happen to think that you'll look very good in black."

“That means finding a dressmaker willing to do a dress for an enforcer for the First Order.” She sighed. Then, she sat up for a second “Wait…you know, that’s not such a bad idea. Wait here."

With that, she got up and went to a table where her mask lay. Putting it on and allowing it to attach to her face, she then plopped back down and proceeded to make a call to one of the most well known dressmakers on Couruscant

Juulna Austen, the dressmaker in question, was understandibly disturbed by the image of a First Order enforcer on the other end of the line and was about to hang up when Ventress said, “I would think twice before hanging up on me if I were you.”

“I just wasn’t expecting a call from the First Order.” Juulna looked nervous, but decided to listen to what Ventress had to say. “To what do I owe this call?"

“I have need of your services.” Ventress said. “My name is Ventress Ren, and I am getting married. I will need a suitable dress for the occasion."

“A dress?"

“Yes, a dress, because while I am sure my beloved would love to see me naked on my wedding day, the rest of the First Order would not approve. So, since you came highly recommended, I thought I would contact you. I do have an idea of what I would like and I assure you, the First Order will pay handsomely for the finished product."

Juulna visibly gulped. “And if I refuse?"

Ventress’ tone was calm, but cold. “Do you really want to take that risk? I don’t want to threaten you, my dear, but if you want me to play my hand…"

“No, no!” Juulna had heard rumors and rumors were more than enough. “I’ll do it. I’ll be glad to do it.”

“Liar.” Kylo mumbled sleepily. Ventress smacked him to keep him quiet.

“As I said, the First Order will pay you very well for good work and I certainly won’t harass you over things I want done. All I ask is for a beautiful dress worthy of wearing on my wedding day. And it must be black."

Juulna had honestly believed that Ventress would simply outright threaten her, but she had to admit, she couldn’t turn down the offered payday and such a simple request. “All right. I’ll do it. I just need a name to attach to the project and a way of contacting you."

“I am Ventress Ren…and don’t worry. I’ll contact you.” A pause. “And I would think twice before backing out. The First Order has ways of finding these sorts of things out and I certainly would absolutely hate for anything to happen to you…or your work."

With that, Ventress cut the call.

“You could have been a bit more polite about it.” Kylo muttered.

“Sometimes being passive-aggressive is the only way to get things done. Besides, I have contacts. The dress will be ready.” Ventress took her mask off and sighed. “I know I should have followed my own advice and left the mask in the ship, but I get so much more accomplished with it on…” She bent over and kissed his forehead. “That’s one thing taken care of, now what next…"

 

 

“What next” turned out to be a picnic in a large meadow surrounded by several waterfalls, a spot Kylo Ren had read about from his grandmother’s journals. All the green and the flowers proved to fascinate Ventress to no end and she spent more time exploring than actually eating.

“It was rare to see flowers on Jakku.” She told him, upon returning with a handful of them to put in the basket. “I used to collect them and keep them in my AT-AT until they died."

“You lived in an AT-AT?” He asked, surprised. “By yourself?"

“It wasn’t much, but it was home.” She put her chin on her knees and looked out into the distance. “It was all I had. But then, BB-8 came, he came, and, then, you. And now, I have more than I ever thought I would have. But sometimes, I do miss it. I used to sit outside at sunset and watch ships head into space and dream of the day I would get to see all of it for myself. And then at night, I would lay on the top of it and see all those stars. How I used to dream I would see them with my own one day…when my family returned."

An unspoken question hung in the air and it was one she knew better than to ask. She knew Kylo Ren had left the side of Luke Skywalker, but she didn’t know the when or the why, but considering how he didn’t like to talk about things that pained him, she decided to let it go. She sighed. “I wonder if they even remember me…."

“If you ask me, they don’t deserve to have you back.” He said. “Whatever reason they had for leaving you…” He stopped. “I don’t think I have any room to talk. My parents…well, I know they cared, but it’s not like they understood. Like Han Solo. I found out later Mother…she never wanted to tell him about my gifts. Afraid he wouldn’t understand. Supreme Leader understood. He nurtured my gifts.” A pause. “I wonder what it would have been like if I had been like Han Solo…normal. Perhaps I wouldn't have been sent away."

“I guess in our own ways, we were both lonely.” She observed. She didn’t press further. “And now, we have each other.” She chuckled. “Perhaps the Force answered our wishes to find someone who understood.”

He shifted his position so he was laying more on his side and she came to lay beside him, her back to his chest. He pressed a kiss to her forehead as she did so, giving her one of those rare smiles that made him look so much younger than he actually was.

“You know, I almost don’t want to go back to the Order.” He broke the comfortable silence. “I would much rather stay here with you. We could get married here, put down roots, maybe have a child…no Resistance, no Order, no war…have what Grandfather wanted with Padme."

She wondered the logistics of such a thing. “Would that be wise, though? I know Supreme Leader would never approve."

“No, but it would be a nice thing to dream about. It’s different from my other dreams. I used to dream about being stronger, about being so feared that people would whisper my name and be scared. But, now…I like to think that there’s more to life than that."

“I used to dream about having a family again.” He’d never asked her before, but he’d always suspected. “Of having a place to belong.” She smiled. “And now, I have what I’ve always wanted…I have you and the Knights….it’s odd. It’s nice.” A pause. “Even if some of the younger ones DO talk about me behind my back.” She shifted position to look at him. “Kylo, what will we do once the First Order comes fully into power?"

“You know, I never thought about it.” He admitted. “Once Skywalker is gone, and the Resistance crushed…a reality that looms closer each day, what will become of us? I’ve had a vision or two. You and I, aboard our own ship. Together."

His touch was warm as he brushed hair away from her face. “Perhaps we will start our own Sith order or something different entirely. Train our own Dark Side users.” She suggested. “Or we could just…disappear."

“Many possibilities.” He agreed. “But, as long as I am with you and you with me, I don’t care what happens. We could be exiled to Hoth and I would still be happy."

She found she couldn’t argue with that.

 

That evening, General Phasma called while Ventress was in the bath.

“I do hope I’m not interrupting anything, Ventress.” Phasma’s helmet was off, something she only did when it was just her and Ventress. “Are you enjoying your little excursion?"

“Yes. So, to what do I owe the pleasure, Phasma? And just be thankful I’m alone and in a good mood."

“Well, we just received word of a Resistance cell hiding in another old base on Dantooine. Most of the fleet is too far away, but I know you and Kylo could take care of it. I know the two of you just want to be alone, but this cell could also have something we’re looking for…."

“….the map to Skywalker!” Ventress almost leapt up out of the bathtub. “Phamsa, this is wonderful news!"

“So I take it you two will be going?"

“Just as soon as I tell him…"

Kylo chose THAT exact moment to enter into the bathroom. “Tell me what?"


	24. Ascension

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another one of those "Let me remind you what sort of people Kylo and Ventress are" chapters.
> 
>  
> 
> Also, I decided while I was writing this to let the next chapter, 25, be the final chapter of the story. When I began writing this, it was without a clear idea of where to take the story. I just thought I had a story to tell and now I have told it. So now, I have one final part to do and then the story will be finished. 
> 
> And when all else fails, I can always come back.

If anything, the death of Leia Organa, followed by the complete annihilation of several Resistance sects and a good portion, if not all of their leadership, had left the Resistance in pieces as the First Order’s grip tightened across the galaxy. But that is not what the remaining Resistance sects feared. What they truly feared was the two black specters of the Order’s power: Kylo Ren and Ventress Ren.

And this is exactly what the sect on Dantooine was afraid of. They knew it was only a matter of time before the First Order came for them.

They just weren’t expecting it to be so soon…or for the only two people from the Order to show up were the enforcers themselves.

Whatever fight they might have put up was over in seconds, mostly thanks to Ventress and her new staff lightsaber., a weapon based off the staff she’d favored on Jakku. Ventress had developed a tendency to cut people down in ruthlessly efficient ways, having lost a lot of her hesitation over time, and with Kylo Ren with her, she was almost unstoppable.

The secret behind this was their Force Bond, along with a lot of practice. They moved with deadly purpose, playing off one another and making sure that none of the resistance fighters escaped off the base.

Finally, after a few more deaths than necessary, the two had rounded up what was left of the Resistance sect and barricaded them in the conference room of the base.

“Now, this can go one of two ways.” Kylo Ren said, pacing around the table. “You give us the map to Skywalker or we take it."

“What, so you or your demented girlfriend can kill him the way you did his sister?” One pilot asked.

“What we do with the information is no one’s business but ours.” Ventress snapped, extending her lightsaber to the speaker’s neck and holding it there. “And don’t call me demented."

“The era of the Jedi is over.” Kylo spoke with an utter confidence that Ventress found very arousing. “It is now the dawn of the First Order. A new age. A better one.”

“We’re not asking for much.” Ventress lowered her saber. “Just give us the map and we may just let you live.”

“You didn’t let the General live.” One admiral snapped.

“The General chose to be uncooperative. Understanable, because she was trying to protect her brother.” Ventress was nonchalant. “Of course, if you’re all so unwilling, I’m sure Kylo will be MORE than happy to go into your heads, won’t you, dear?"

The fear that permeated the room was so intense by that point that Ventress and Kylo could feel it. The Force vibrated about them and suddenly, Ventress looked at one of the technicians nearest to her. “You.” She extended her staff in said technician’s direction. “Get up."

The technician slowly got up.

“Dear?” Kylo asked.

“I felt something.” Ventress explained. “Let’s see if my hunch pays off.” She turned her attention to the “hostage”. “Go to the computer and show me the star charts. And if you try anything funny, I’ll make an example out of you."

The technician did what was asked, movements slow. But the second the star charts came up, she pulled out a blaster. “The resistance will not…"

Her voice was cut off by the feeling of her throat constricting, the air being cut off. She dropped the blaster, clawing at her throat for a brief series of moments, only to fall down dead at Ventress’ black-clad feet.

 

“Why must you people make this more difficult than it has to be?” Ventress asked, talking more to herself than to anyone else. She stepped over the body and went to the computer, tapping at something until a file name caught her attention.

 

_Skywalker_

 

Ventress’ eyes lit up. “Kylo, my love, I’ve found it! The last piece!"

He was incredilous. “So, they just left it int he database?"

Ventress pulled something out of her robes and plugged it in, downloading all the maps and other information she could. “Because they assumed, as I deduced, that they wouldn’t be overrun or that we wouldn’t think to actually look on a computer.” Once she had gotten all the information she needed on her data file, she then unplugged it and tucked it back into the folds of her robes. Her saber than ignited and she promptly shoved it into the computer terminal.

“So, at last…” Kylo sounded far more excited than he should have been. “…we will know where Skywalker has been hiding for 20 years."

“As well as where the other reisstance sects are hiding. Supreme Leader’s dream is close to being fulfilled. This is the end of the resistance.”

Kylo held out his hand to his lover and she moved across the room to take it. Then, they both looked at their gathered prisoners and looked at one another again.

 

“Thank you…” Kylo began.

“…for your cooperation.” Ventress finished, letting the finality of the statement settle before their sabers ignited.

 

 

“At last…” Supreme Leader Snoke was thrilled. “…the last Jedi, Luke Skywalker, is within our grasp and his final hope…will never come."

“Supreme Leader, I insist that it is I who is allowed to go after Skywalker.” Ventress said from her position beside Kylo. “The Force has shown me that it was I whom he was waiting for. I was his last hope. So it should be me who kills him."

“No, Ventress. Although you have grown powerful and strong, you are not ready to face Skywalker. He will crush you easily….and you’re more vaulable to us alive than dead.” Snoke was quick to squash any illusions of grandeur she might have had.

“The hour of our victory is close at hand.” Kylo said. “The Resistance is all but crushed, our shadow spreads. Soon, everything we want will be within reach."

“You both have done well.” Snoke nodded approvingly. “You are dismissed."

Once they were outside the audience chamber, Ventress was swept into Kylo’s arms and twirled around before he hugged her close. His feelings were coming off him in waves: joy and love mixed with the always lingering anger and hate.

“Kylo, what…"

“It’s almost over, my love. The age of the Resistance. Soon, the First Order will have absolute control and Skywalker will have no place left to run. Everything will be the way we want it to be.” He put her down and looked into her eyes (or at least as much as he could, considering he still had his mask on). “This is the dawning of a new era…"

“Well, then, I suppose there is but one thing left to do."

“And what would that be?"

She held up her hand to show him her ring, eyes dancing.

“Oh yes.” He murmured. “Our wedding."


	25. Everybody Wants To Rule The World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we are. The final chapter.
> 
> I had, believe it or not, a lot of fun writing this fanfiction, more fun than I have had in a very long time. This just started as some knee jerk idea and sort of took on a life of its own, going back and forth between romance and "let me remind you that these people are evil", and it ended up being something I'm very proud of. 
> 
> Shout out to Juulna, for a)beta reading the later chapters and b)allowing me to use her name for the dressmaker. 
> 
>  
> 
> Also, I want to thank all of you, my fans, from the bottom of my heart for your readership. I know this fic isn't as good as say, "Forms" or "Interstellar Transmissions" or any of the other really good Reylo fic out there, but you guys have no idea what your kind words have meant to me. 
> 
>  
> 
> I'm very sad to say goodbye, but I feel like I have told the story of Ventress Ren and Kylo Ren and there is no more to tell. 
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you all so much. I love you all.

Juulna Austen was about to close down her dress shop for the day when a stormtrooper in silver appeared at the door, blaster in hand. The poor dressmaker almost dropped her keycard in shock, before the stormtrooper stepped aside to reveal a rather unassuming hooded figure. The hooded figure pulled off her hood to reveal the unmasked face of Ventress Ren.

“Juulna, I do hope we’re not interrupting anything.” Ventress said with a pleasant smile. “But I’ve come to pick up my wedding gown.” A pause. “Oh, forgive me where are my manners? You probably don’t recognize me without my mask. I’m Ventress Ren and this is my associate, General Phasma."

General Phasma gave a curt nod.

“Oh, I wasn’t expecting you so late.” Juulna opened the door more to let them in. “The gown is ready, Lady Ventress and I hope it meets with your approval.” A pause. “And because you did pay so well in advance, I took the liberty of making something suitable for the groom."

“Oh, something for Kylo Ren!” Ventress sounded please. “Well, then, let’s see it!"

“Right this way, Lady Ventress."

The gown Juulna had prepared was something simple, but for the purposes of what was going to be a very simple wedding, it would do nicely. It was black, as Ventress had requested, with lace detailing going down the right side. There were gold clasps on the shoulders, which made it perfect to attatch a cape to. In fact, Juula did attach a cape at Ventress’ insistence as she tried the dress on.

“What do you think, Phasma?” Ventress asked, emerging from behind the mirror. She did a little twirl. The gown and its cape suited her perfectly. “How do I look?"

“Quite beautiful.” Phasma replied. “It’s a beautiful dress."

“It looks perfect.” Juulna nodded her approval. “I hope it meets with your standards, Lady Ventress."

Ventress’ smile lit up the whole shop. “It’s perfection. Thank you, Juulna. Now, show me what you have for my beloved."

“Well, for him, I decided to give his robes a more modern look.” Juulna went into the back of her store and pushed out a mannequin that had what she had come up with. The mannequin was dressed all in black, with a long hooded outer robe. Underneath the robe was black pants and a dark colored top. It was actually a nice formal updating of the clothes he usually tended to wear.

“He’ll look amazing in those.” Phasma remarked. “Better than the singed robes he favors."

“And it will make him look less like some kind of unholy priest.” Ventress commented. “Good work, Juulna."

“Thank you, Lady Ventress."

By the time the two members of the First Order left the shop, Juulna was considering retirement with the money she’d been paid.

 

 

“I cannot believe you paid that dressmaker that much for the dress and my new robes.” Kylo was in disbelief by the time Ventress had returned to the bridge of the Asajji.

“Think of it as insurance. I pay her well, she keeps quiet.” Ventress was nonplussed. “And her work was beyond compare. You’ll see."

“Did you have to get me new clothes, though?"

“WE ARE GETTING MARRIED.” Ventress was about to smack him. “Yes, you need new clothes!”

“Will I look good in them, though?” He wondered aloud.

“She did a good job updating your usual look. You’ll look very handsome.” She looked at him, although because he tended to wear his mask whenever they were not alone, she was never really sure if he looked back, and then smiled. “Can you believe it? All our dreams are about to come true. The First Order has achieved power, the Resistance crushed or on the run and we are about to be married. It’s like the perfect fairytale ending…in which the villains win."

“Well, almost perfect. Skywalker still lives, but we will deal with him in time. There is no escape for him.” But still, she was correct. Everything they had wanted and worked for was within their reach. In addition to the First Order’s grip closing over the galaxy, the Resistance crushed, they finally had in one another what they had always wanted life to give them. “And now, as soon as you are my bride, my life will be complete."

“Soon, my love.” She promised him. “Soon."

 

 

And then, the day arrived.

They had decided to get married on Naboo, in the gardens of the private house that Kylo Ren owned. It was a beautiful place to begin their new lives together, far away from the desert wastes of Jakku or the bustle of Couruscant.

Dressed in his new robes and without his mask, Kylo Ren was suddenly struck by nervousness as he and Hux, along with General Phasma (who had decided to officiate the wedding for reasons unknown), waited Ventress’ arrival. “I haven’t seen her at all today.” He confided in Hux. “What if she changed her mind?"

Hux and Kylo had developed something of an uneasy partnership over time and Hux knew it was unlike Kylo to be so worried. “Don’t worry, she hasn’t. The two of you are so in love it’s almost disgusting. I’m sure she’s just as nervous as you are.” He pulled at his collar and then looked sideways at the groom. “By the way…congralations. I suppose even you deserves happiness."

“Master of the backhanded compliments, aren’t we, General?” Phasma, who, under her armor, was a shockingly tall, statuesque woman with blonde hair and a cool demeanor. “You could, you know, pretend to be happy."

Kylo chose to ignore their arguing and look at the assembled audience. The Knights of Ren had gathered to pay homage to their master and new mistress and they were murmuring to one another about Ventress. He could have sworn he overheard one of them mention that she looked very beautiful. His heart gave a little flip. Was this really happening? Was he really about to marry the woman he loved?

Meanwhile, Ventress had dressed in her gown and was touching up her makeup with the help of Tyranus. “It’s strange.” She mused as he helped clip the cape onto her dress. “I can feel his nervousness through the Force, and yet, I’m not scared. I’m overjoyed."

“How so, Lady Ventress?” Tryanus asked.

“Four years or so ago…” It felt like another lifetime, really. “…I was a simple scavenger back on Jakku. I had nothing and no one. And now, I have so much more than I could have hoped or dreamed for. Power, prestige, love…respect. Kylo has given me so much. Giving him my hand in marriage seems so trivial in comparison."

“It’s not, my lady. To him, it means everything. You’ve changed my master and for the better, I might add. And you have given him just as much as he has given you.” Tryanus smoothed the cape. “I’ve never seen two people more made for each other than the two of you."

Ventress smiled and then kissed Tryanus on the top of his head. “Thank you, Tyranus."

If he was blushing behind his mask, she would never be able to tell. “Anytime, my lady."

Kylo Ren had seen many beautiful things in his life, but none of them compared to the sight of Ventress, resplendent in her black cape dress, walking down the aisle towards him. The sight of her well and truly took his breath away.

When she had reached his side, she reached out her hand for his own and he took it, squeezing it tightly as they turned to face Phasma, who then began the ceremony.

Vows were said, rings were exchanged and then, Phasma was declaring them husband and wife and with a hint of a small smile on her face, she finished with, “You may now kiss the bride."

Ventress reached up to remove the hood Kylo was wearing. His handsome face was one she would never get tired of seeing. She ran her fingers through his black hair and gave him a warm, affectionate smile. “I love you."

He touched her cheek with an ungloved hand, his fingers warm. “I know.”

She had to stand on her tiptoes to kiss him, only for him to pull her close and then dip her backwards for a kiss that could only be described as heartstopping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they lived happily ever after.


	26. As The World Falls Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And you thought I was finished with these two....NOPE!
> 
> Oh, and this chapter is leaning on that line between mature and explicit...just so you know.

Just when Kylo Ren thought nothing could top the image of his bride, Ventress Ren in her wedding dress, she had to go and pull out a black nightgown that managed to cling to everything and then hide everything at the same time. The image of her in said nightgown standing on the balcony of their room at the lake house was one that would forever be burned into his memory. And when coupled with the blissful expression on her face, it was all he could do to not sweep her off the balcony and carry her straight into the bedroom for their “proper” wedding night.

 

“Kylo…” She began, not turning to face him as he walked out on the balcony behind her. “…do you know how long it’s been since my first lightsaber trial?"

 

“It feels like a lifetime ago.” He admitted. “But if I had to guess, maybe four years?"

 

“Yes…” She sighed at the memory. “So much has changed since then. Some good things…some great things…and some amazing things.” She looked at him as he came to stand by her side. “And of course…” She stroked his cheek. “…one very wonderful thing."

 

Her gentle touch hid her deadliness, and that just made him love her more. “Yes…” He sighed. “I didn’t think it was possible, you know…to have it all. And suddenly, I have everything I could have ever wanted."

 

“The First Order’s grip tightening each day across the galaxy, perfect order from utter chaos, and of course, the perfect partner to share it with.” She looked at him. “You’ve given me so much."

 

“Because you deserve it.” He told her. “I’d give you the whole galaxy if I could.” A pause and he smirked. “Oh wait…I already have."

 

“Not yet you haven’t.” She smirked and turned to vanish beyond the curtains of the balcony, her silhouette leaving an enticing trail for him to follow her. “If you pardon my cheesiness, I fully expect to have my galaxy rocked tonight.” With a giggle, she seemed to disappear like a whisper.

 

Kylo couldn’t resist peeking through the gauzy curtains into the bedroom. Ventress was lighting a few candles and humming to herself. Her beauty never failed to take his breath away.

 

As if she could see him, she then pushed the straps of her nightgown off her shoulders, leaving her naked and almost glowing in the dim light. She then pulled her hair out of its bun and shook it out. She cast a glance over her shoulder. “Aren’t you coming to bed, my love?"

 

He moved slowly into the room, almost afraid that he would break something.

 

Ventress waited until he was a step away before turning and resting one hand on the cloth covering his chest. She could feel his heart racing, and she arched a brow as she slowly looked up and met his eyes. “Nervous?” she teased gently.

 

“I don’t want to mess this up,” he admitted, giving her a soft smile as he brought a bare hand up to cup her cheek. His thumb rubbed across her skin in a soothing manner and Ventress found her eyes fluttering closed as she tilted her head further into his hand.

 

“Kylo…” she sighed. “I don’t think you could mess any of this up at this point, unless you turned tail and ran. Just kiss me and love me.”

 

“I do, Ventress. You know I do.” And, spurred on by her order, he brought his other hand up to grip her face as he lowered his mouth to capture hers. Even though he said he was nervous, his lips on hers were anything but. They moved confidently over hers, sure of his complete possession of her mind, body, and soul. Sure of her love for him, and his for hers. She had given herself to him today, and he to her; there could never be room for nervousness or doubt anymore.

 

Ventress nipped playfully at his lower lip, and his eyes shot open to latch onto hers. They were glinting mischievously and he couldn’t help but pull back and smirk at her. She took the opportunity to turn him around, pushing him slowly backwards towards the massive bed. As she moved him backwards, practically stalking him the entire way there, she started to remove his clothing. It became a game; her trying to distract him into tripping with her electric touches of skin on skin, him trying to keep control of his limbs as he moved.

 

By the time the back of his knees hit the mattress, he’d been reduced to his pants and boots. Ventress quickly knelt at his feet, the naked skin of her back gleaming through the tendrils of her hair as she worked on removing his boots. Once she’d undone them, she nudged him backwards with the Force until he was sitting on the edge and she could lift his feet to remove the boots. Once they and his socks were gone, she looked up at him from between his legs and the smoldering gaze that met his made his mouth go dry. He reached down and gripped her shoulders, pulling her upright as he stood. He took a quick moment to divest himself of his remaining clothes and soon after, he pulled her back on top of him on the bed, skin pressed to skin, and lips to lips.

 

He peppered her face with kisses, pulling her up his body until her hips were straddling his chest so that he could reach more of her with his mouth. He pulled her down so that he could latch onto her breast, teasing her nipple into a peak with his lips and tongue. All too soon she was rocking her hips against his chest, and her hands had woven themselves into his hair, gripping it tightly as she moaned. Kylo pulled back and smirked up at her, mesmerized by the sight of her flushed skin and the sound of her panting breaths. He loved being able to elicit this reaction from her; loved it more with every passing day.

 

Ventress felt his hardness nudging her from behind and instinctively pushed back against it, rubbing her wet core over it and wiping Kylo’s smirk clear off of his face. She relished her ability to do that, and took the opportunity to pull her hips out of his hands. She shimmied her way down his body until she was kneeling on the mattress between his knees. Before she could even touch her lips to where she wanted them to go, she found herself being flipped over on the bed, Kylo hovering over her where he had pinned her down. She pouted up at him.

 

“No,” he growled as he bent his head and nipped at her neck. “If you do that I won’t last a minute and I want this to be a proper wedding night like you deserve.”

 

Ventress’ eyes gleamed at the thought that she could, even still, reduce him to such a state. It was a heady feeling, to have such power over another human being. To have them submit to you in such a way that you could do anything to them, all while they trusted you with their life. That act of passion, of surrender and dominance… that was love in only a way that two Sith could love. “I love you,” she breathed out as she wrapped her legs around his waist, arching her hips towards his.

 

“I know,” he replied, catching her lips with his again. “I know,” he said again when he pulled back. “I definitely know,” he moaned as he angled his hips and reached down to guide himself into her. He held himself still, arms shaking, once he was fully seated within her. He took the moment to breathe deeply, appreciating the play of the shadows across her supple, naked body as the candles flickered in the breeze from the open balcony doors. He relished in the feel of her inner walls squeezing around his length, but had to gain control of his body’s reactions before he ruined it all. Tonight his emotions were wreaking havoc with his control, and he couldn’t allow that to happen. Drawing on some of his meditative techniques, he regained control through his breathing, focusing in on the passion he felt for this woman in his arms… this woman who was now his wife.

 

The whole time, he felt Ventress’ eyes on him. He basked in the pleasure her gaze alone bestowed on him. Her hands were everywhere, gently and tenderly caressing his body as she lay still beneath him. Eventually, though, she squeezed her legs where they were wrapped around his waist, and she arched her hips to take him in more deeply. Kylo groaned and tilted his head back, exposing his neck enough that Ventress gripped his shoulder, angling herself upwards, and bit gently at the flesh he bared to her. This spurred him to rock against her, finally moving within her body in deep, languid strokes that had them both gasping for breath.

 

“Show me the stars again, Kylo,” she managed to get out on a startled breath. In her mind she was picturing the stars they could see from their bedroom on the ship, and he slipped into her mind to share the memory, as his body slipped in and out of hers. He knew she was thinking of more than just the physical stars; she was thinking of the pleasure they’d found in each other time and again under them.

 

Sitting back on his heels, Kylo pulled her hips towards his and angled himself inside of her until he was rubbing over that one spot, deep inside of her, that would make her see the stars she was thinking of. He wasn’t concerned with them taking this too quickly at the moment. There would be plenty of time over this night, over their lifetime, to take their time making love. Right now he wanted to show her the fervor that he felt for her; the love that he was experiencing; the passion that was brimming inside of him to the point that he felt he would soon be consumed.

 

His pace quickened and he could feel her walls clenching around him, driving him faster. He set a quick rhythm, and she met him with every thrust. Their bodies knew each other; they knew each other’s rhythms and motions like the back of their own hands. But this time, they came together with the same magic and passion as their first time together, and their connection swelled with their love for each other until they didn’t know where one ended and the other began. Inside of them was building a wave that threatened to overwhelm them with every thrust, and every squeeze of her inner walls.

 

Ventress’ skin was shining with sweat, much as Kylo’s was, and he folded himself over her to lick the sweat from her breast, catching her nipple between his teeth and rolling it between them. The combination of the change in angle, and the sensations shooting from her breast in a line straight to her core, were just enough that she felt herself teetering on the edge. She grasped Kylo’s hair in both hands, pulling his head even more tightly against her breast, and she arched her back so that she was pressed even more tightly against him.

 

Kylo knew she was on the edge, and he maintained that angle for as long as he could, trying to prolong the pleasure she felt on the cusp of orgasm. He licked and nibbled at her nipple, then switched to the other to give it equal attention. Soon, though, her pleasure that she was sharing with him through their bond was almost too much for him to handle, and he felt himself nearing his own release. He sucked on her nipple even harder, and gripped her hip with one hand to change the angle just slightly and…

 

He saw stars. Not just through his eyes, but through his connection with Ventress he could see the stars that she was seeing as her mind reeled off into oblivion and she practically shrieked out her release. He kept thrusting a few more times, almost erratically, until he was completely spent, his body glistening from the exertion of their encounter.

 

He held himself in place, limbs shaking, for another few deep breaths, and then finally pulled himself from her. He had to pull her limbs from around his body so that he could angle himself down beside her, as she still had her eyes closed and her breaths were only just coming under control. He himself barely had enough energy to lift their bodies under the sheets of the bed, pulling her so that she was spooned against his front. His hand trailed lazily over her body, synchronizing his breath with hers, and gently entering her mind. They dozed like that, bodies and minds wrapped together, perfectly sated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MANY, MANY, MANY thanks to Juulna for co-writing this chapter because I got so fucking stuck on it.


	27. Watch The Queen Conquer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every love story needs to have its obstacles and dare I say, villains, and this is a chapter that sets up those things. And also, this and 28 will answer the question: How far is Ventress/Rey willing to go for Kylo?

Even with the First Order’s grip closing across the galaxy, there were still sects of the Resistance that had to be dealt with. Despite the fact that Ventress and Kylo were clearly a much more terrifying force as a unit than separately, Supreme Leader split them up. Again.

 

Ventress was not exactly thrilled with this development and spent no shortage of time ranting about it to Tyranus while pacing back and fourth on the bridge of her ship. “It’s outrageous!” She exclaimed, the deck officers trying not to notice how the air crackled with suppressed rage. “Kylo and I just got MARRIED. We should be together as a unifying, terrifying force consolidating power, not separated as though Supreme Leader feels we are each other’s weaknesses! What is he trying to pull?!"

“The Supreme Leader is wise.” Tryanus had been through this before and knew Ventress had the potential to be just as powerful as his master. He had to tread carefully to make sure she didn’t lose her cool or choke him. “And you, my lady, are just as terrifying on your own, especially since people know you’re behind what happened to Leia Organa. "

She hadn’t considered that and she regarded him for a moment.

“It’s just a test. You know this. You should be used to this by now."

Ventress, personally, was tired of Snoke’s tests. She was tired of fearing that he would someday take Kylo away from her, tired of worrying about failing…and very tired of feeling as though Snoke owned her and Kylo. Like becoming a Knight of Ren meant selling her soul to him.

“I’m used to it…and I am tired of it.” Ventress’ hands settled on the railing in front of the windows. “I fear that he will take Kylo from me, Tyranus. That I will do all that Supreme Leader asks and yet he will still punish me. He will take away the man I love and I will be able to say nothing against it. I am tired of all these tests. When will it ever be enough? When will I have proven myself to Supreme Leader?"

“Don’t let your fear control you, my lady.” Tyranus could sense that Ventress about to crack. “Trust in the wisdom of Supreme Leader."

Ventress looked at the younger Knight for a long, silent moment. “I pray that you never lose your heart to another, Tyranus.” She said, turning to leave him on the bridge. “Sometimes, I feel as thought it’s not worth it."

 

 

The journey to the remote wastes of Hoth took longer than expected and Ventress spent most of the time in meditation, trying to calm herself down. Bitterness and anger would only cloud her vision and make her loyalty be questioned. And if her loyalty was ever anything but rock solid, then she knew, for sure, she would lose Kylo. Either Snoke would permanently separate them…or have Kylo kill her.

She would much rather commit suicide than let that happen.

 

 

The Resistance sect on Hoth was definitely not equipped for the weather, so the appearance of the First Order was an unwelcome surprise. In fact, said surprise was so unwelcome that everyone was dead or captured within about an hour of landing…mostly because Ventress had absolutely gone on the warpath, taking her frustration out on whatever she could get close enough to.

“I will say this for the Lady Ventress…” One officer remarked as Ventress demolished the sect’s communications console. “…I much prefer her to Lord Kylo. She’s more…stable."

“Depends on what you mean by stable…” Another officer made the mistake of saying this within Ventress’ hearing range.

His body froze as Ventress turned around, pulling him right into her outsretched hand.

“…I’m sorry.” She removed her mask and looked right into the hapless officer’s face. “…I didn’t hear you."

The officer was terrified and refused to speak.

“I don’t ask to be liked.” Ventress dropped him and then aimed her staff lightsaber blade at his throat. “Nor do I ask to be respected. But I DO ask that you not insult me. I don’t go around insulting YOU, now do I?"

“…N-no…” _PLEASE DON’T HURT ME._ The Force around him screamed.

“Then I ask that same courtesy of you.” She then stepped on his chest to further make her point. “Be thankful I’m in a good mood right now. Next time…well…” Her eyes were colder than the planet they were standing on. “…I might not feel so charitable."

“Lady Ventress…” Tyranus decided to intervene before Ventress took out half of their officers. “…Supreme Leader commands you to make contact with him."

Ventress turned and stared at him. “NOW?!"

“Yes, now."

Groaning in frustration and anger, she took her boot off the officer and made her way to her shuttle, to receive the message from her master. It was a call she didn’t want to make because she knew he had somehow sensed her frustration and was about to remind her of the consequences. And the last thing she needed on a day like today was a lecture from Supreme Leader.

 

 

The audience chamber was dark and even colder than Hoth and Ventress pulled her cloak around her tightly as she entered. She tried to put on her usual mask of confidence, tried to hide her frustration, but she knew the second Snoke’s hologram blinked into view, that he knew exactly what she was feeling.

“You called for me, Master?” She looked up, face unhidden, as she’d forgotten to put her mask back on.

“There is much fear in you, child.” Snoke’s voice rumbled through the chamber. “And much anger.”

She stood stock still for a long moment.

“Everything I do for you, child, is to ensure that you are ready. You know of the Rule of Two, do you not?"

Of course she did, but she thought the rule had died with Darth Sidious. And despite the fact that she and Kylo and the other Knights, did not fall under Sith, they all called themselves that. But they all knew. They knew they were not truly the Sith in the same fashion. The Sith Order was as dead as the Jedi Order.

“Yes, I do."

“Then you understand that I am simply making sure that when the day comes, you are ready for it. Someday, Kylo will no longer be here and you will need to stand on your own. I don’t believe your love for him is a weakness, not personally…but there are those who do…and those who would exploit it.” He looked at her. “…and some of those people are members of your own Order…"

That pinged something in Ventress’ mind and suddenly, her blood ran cold.

“You sense it, too.” Snoke was being increasingly cryptic and the dread she felt in her stomach was only growing. “But Ventress, please keep this in mind: I am only testing you to ensure your loyalty. To see how far you will go in the name of the Knights of Ren. And so far, you have not failed. I am pleased with your success and your growth. It’s been a long time since I recruited someone with the same abilities as Kylo."

There was something he wasn’t telling her. “Master…what are you saying?” She was not about to beat around the bush, not when her senses were telling her something was wrong. “…are you saying we have traitors in the Knights of Ren?"

Snoke said nothing, but from what she could tell from his face, she was right.

 

 

Suddenly, she felt her Force Bond with Kylo cut out.

Snoke must have sensed the same thing, because the next thing he said was “…I sense the Master of the Knights of Ren is in danger…"

Ventress turned to leave the chamber. “I have to get to Tattooine."

 

 

Tyranus was waiting outside the audience chamber for her when she left. “What’s the matter?"

“Kylo is in danger. I can’t sense him. We have to go to Tattooine. Tell the officers."

“What do you mean, I thought he was safe there…"

“He’s not. I’ve lost my connection. We are going. Right now.” A pause. “There are traitors in the Knights of Ren…those who think my affection for Kylo and his love for me are weaknesses and would seek to exploit them."

“But if they’re trying to exploit them, wouldn’t going to Tattooine just mean walking into a trap?"

“…well, then they’ve messed with the wrong Knight.”

 

For a Super Star Destroyer, the _Assajji_ was incredibly fast and changing course to Tattooine wasn’t as much of a hassle as it would have been under other circumstances. But by now, the First Order crew was well versed in keeping Ventress calm and put up no arguments.

But even the speed didn’t stop Ventress Ren from spending half the trip to the remote desert planet in a meditation chamber, trying to get her connection to Kylo back. Only certain things could break their bond, which had been well honed over the four or five years they’d spent together. One of them was death (a possibility she refused to even consider), another was deep unconsciousness, like a coma, a third was severe injury (they hadn’t tested that one yet), and the fourth was, and the most unlikely scenario, outside of death, was the blocking by another Force sensitive.

Snoke, for example, had that power, and had only chose to use it once, but he had told her once that he could no longer use it because the bond between the two of them had gotten strong enough to resist it. The only other Force sensitive they knew of with the power to block their bond that way was Luke Skywalker and it was highly unlikely he had entered the proceedings.

 

During her deep meditation, she kept having visions, each one more increasingly worrisome than before. She saw someone else holding up Kylo’s lightsaber, she heard the rantings of how the Knights of Ren had fallen, and then, the weak mechanical breathing of something. Then, in her mind's eye, the visage of Darth Vader amongst flames roared into life, bearing an ominous message: “You have failed me… _Ben_."

This worried her and her worry had grown into full blown panic by the time the ship had reached Tattooine’s airspace. After the entire trip, she still couldn’t reach him through the Force, although, thankfully, she could still sense his life energy. This meant he was still alive.

 

By then, Ventress' worry and panic turned into a colossal, full blown rage and it was one that was so powerful, the very shuttle she was standing in threatened to implode in on itself. It made the trip to the planet just that much harder on the poor officers. Phasma, figuring she should stay behind in case there was a need for stormtroopers, tried to keep Ventress calm via their comlink.

“He is still alive, Lady Ventress.” Phasma said. “Please try not to worry."

“Someone is out to get us.” Ventress’ tone was very cold. “There are traitors in the Knights of Ren. They need to be dealt with. And something severed my Force Bond with Kylo. Either Luke Skywalker has come out of hiding, or someone is trying to kill him and lure me into a trap."

“But, my lady, aren’t you walking into a trap by going after him?"

“That’s what I said!” Tyranus interrupted. “It’s very clearly a trap. My lady, please, don’t let your love cloud your judgement."

Tyranus found himself thrown against the wall for his trouble.

Almost immediately, Ventress is apologetic. “Tyranus, I’m sorry.” She rushed to his side. “…I know my judgement is clouded when it comes to Kylo…but…you know how much he means to me."

Tyranus decided not to argue with her on the subject.

 

 

“Lady Ventress, we’re picking up some kind of broadcast signal.” One of the officers said, interrupting Ventress before she could speak. “Should we pull it up?"

“What sort of broadcast?” Ventress was cautios.

“I’m not sure, but the speaker keeps talking about the Knights of Ren…and how he plans to usurp something…"

Tyranus bolted upright. “Pull it up, right now!"

“Tryanus?” Ventress was confused.

“There’s a younger knight, in the order, you haven’t met him, frankly because the rest of us don’t want you to… his name is Vader Ren and he’s crazy."

That set alarm bells off in her head. “Vader?"

“Yes, his name is Vader and he’s been trying to be Kylo’s apprentice since he joined the order, but Kylo refused because Vader is not Force Sensitive. At least…we don’t think he is. But you know how Kylo is a big Darth Vader fanboy? Vader Ren is a bigger one…and he’s even crazier."

Ventress was about to explain why Kylo was such an admirer of Darth Vader, but she remembered that Kylo kept his lineage secret and would not be keen on it being revealed that he was Darth Vader’s Grandson. But the idea of someone being even more fanatical about the legendary Sith lord scared her. “…you don’t think he’s Force Sensitive?! How can you NOT…"

“Lady Ventress, I don’t know if you’ve noticed but the only members of our order who are confirmed Force sensitives are you and Kylo Ren himself. So, none of us could ever be sure, but Vader Ren worships both Darth Vader and Kylo himself, enough that the only reason he hasn’t met you yet is because he hates you."

“But he doesn’t even KNOW me!"

“No, but you became Kylo’s apprentice and then his bride….so…” Tryanus trailed off, unsure of what to say next.

The angry rantings from Ventress’ vision came roaring to life within a few seconds. It seemed that Vader Ren was ranting about something and his voice was clearly modulated to sound like Darth Vader’s. It was creepy and creepy in a way that made Ventress’ blood run cold. She didn’t even pay attention to the words.

“Where is that broadcast coming from?” Ventress asked.

“Near the site of the Skywalker Cult.” One officer said. “We’ll try to land you and Tyranus near there."

 

 

The Skywalker cult had been a group of fanatics who’d worshipped Luke Skywalker as though he was some sort of God. They’d apparently been an offshoot of the Church of the Force or something, but the records had been lost and the group had settled on Luke’s home planet, praying fanatically for the day when their Savior would return.

Ventress had dispatched most of them, but their temple was apparently still in use…and most importantly, she could sense her beloved in there.

And Kylo was still alive.


	28. Love Is A Battlefield

Kylo Ren roused from consciousness to a dull throbbing in his head and the dawning realization that he could not feel Ventress through the Force. Their Force Bond had been severed…or blocked, he wasn’t entirely sure. But the silence in his head made him panic and struggle to sit up, but he was definitely bound fast to the table he was on. His saber was gone and his mask had been taken off. He was vulnerable and alone…well, no…not quite.

“Well, well, how the mighty have fallen.” A voice spoke from the darkness surrounding Kylo. “The master of the Knights of Ren, brought low by his own order!"

This woke Kylo up a little more and he was able to look around to see where he was. He was basically locked in the main temple of the Skywalker cult (complete with a statue of his blasted Uncle). He was definitely trapped on a table and he noticed someone in black was talking to him…and talking to him with a VERY familiar voice.

“Grandfather?” He asked, unable to believe what he was hearing.

“No…but honestly, if I had a grandson as pathetic as you, I wouldn’t want to be called that.” The speaker stepped out of the shadows to reveal the masked visage of Vader Ren, a tall, lanky Knight wearing a mask horrifyingly identical to the one Darth Vader had worn. “You have failed him, Ben Solo."

Just hearing that name made Kylo want to punch him, but he couldn’t move. “HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT, VADER?!"

“I do my research.” Vader was smug. “And you and Supreme Leader thought I was not sensitive with the Force. I have the potential to be greater than even you…as you’ve no doubt figured out. How else could you lose your link to Ventress?"

“You leave her out of this!"

“You wouldn’t take me on as apprentice, ME, who bears your grandfather’s name!” Vader was ranting again. “But you pick up some scavenger girl from a backwater planet and she is somehow worthy? How insulting!"

How Vader had managed to hide the fact that he was Force sensitive, Kylo would never know, but he was reluctant to admit that he was impressed. But there was another reason he hadn’t wanted to take Vader on as a pupil: Vader was crazy. Out of all of the Knights of Ren, he was by and large the most insane and he genuinely frightened Kylo and concerned Supreme Leader. But then, there was the more concerning part: the fact that he couldn’t sense Ventress at all. And he knew…he knew that this was either an elaborate trap for her or death for him.

“I don’t know if I should pity you, or just call you crazy.” Kylo muttered.

“And you call yourself the Master of the Knights of Ren.” Vader muttered. “You are no master of mine!"

“What are you up to, Vader?” Kylo asked, figuring that delaying the inevitable was all he had left.

“Isn’t it obvious? I want your position. Your power! You call yourself the rightful heir to Vader’s throne? HA! I am the rightful heir! And all I need to do so is to get rid of the false heir…and that means you!” Vader was probably smirking under his mask. “And of course, to get rid of you, I need to first get rid of your weakness…and she should be on her way here right about now…"

“Leave Ventress out of this!” Kylo spat. “She is not part of this."

“No, she isn’t…and under other circumstances, I would leave her be. She would make a powerful queen. Lord Vader himself would admire her. But, alas, her loyalty is to you and so, to make sure she doesn’t stand in my way as I take your place…she must die."

Vader’s monologuing and gloating were starting to grate on Kylo’s nerves and he wished he could connect with Ventress, to tell her to stay away. For the first time in a long time, he felt fear…and it reminded him of the fear he’d felt from Ventress while she’d been on her way to Hoth. Ventress was afraid of losing him, of Snoke separating them and he had to admit, he felt the same fears. Ventress meant the universe to him and now he was faced with the very real possibility that a)he couldn’t protect her (even though she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself) and b) that he was going to lose her.

And to make it worse, he was going to lose her to VADER, of all people.

“You would betray Supreme Leader, the Knights, and all you’ve sworn loyalty to for the sake of power?” Kylo asked, wanting to do anything just to make Vader stop talking. “And here I thought the Sith Order was dead."

“Your grandfather overthrew Palpatine, but that was for his Son. A pity, to lose such potential, but all that potential was long lost anyway. You Skywalkers are all pathetic.” Vader sighed and looked at something. “Where is the Lady Ventress….I know getting from Hoth would take some time, but she’s talking an…"

 

 

“VADER!” The temple doors opened and in stormed Tyranus, wielding his weapon, a large mace of some kind. “HOW DARE YOU!"

“Tyranus!” Kylo struggled. If Tyranus was here, Ventress was not far behind. “It’s a trap! Don’t engage him! You have to get Ventress away from here!"

“If it isn’t Lady Ventress’ little lap dog!” Vader picked up Kylo’s saber and ignited it. “And he brought my prey right to me! Just in time."

“Vader, don’t do this.” Tyranus reached out his hand. “It’s not worth it."

“Tyranus, listen to me!” Kylo shouted. “Do not let Ventress come here! I know she sent you ahead first. You have to protect her! He’s going to kill her!"

Tyranus was shocked and he stared at Vader. “You would murder our master and his wife? You’d betray the Knights of Ren? For what?"

“Kylo Ren is no master of mine!” Darth bellowed, putting his voice modulator to good use. “His power will be mine! And in the true Sith way, I will kill him. Like Vader to Sidious before, I will kill him and become the new master of the Knights of Ren and lead us into a new, glorious era!” A dramatic pause. “And if you put down your weapon, Tyranus, I may let you join me."

By this point, Tyranus had had enough of the monologuing. “Would you just shut up? Please? No wonder Supreme Leader wanted to leave you on Hoth to rot. You’re annoying!"

“I’ll show you annoying….” Vader raised Kylo’s saber and was about to bring it down when it suddenly depowered. “What?” He was further surprised when the saber flew out of his hands.

The flames of the temple seemed to flare up and the entire place shook.

“…I have a bad feeling about this.” Vader said, Kylo being able to feel the traitorous knight’s dread and fear through the Force.

 

“AS YOU SHOULD!”

The temple doors seem to blow open so hard they were nearly knocked off their hinges and Kylo’s saber flew right into the waiting hands of a very pissed off Ventress Ren. She wasn’t wearing her usual facial mask and her eyes blazed in the firelight, burning with barely concealed fury.

“Lady Ventress!” Tryanus cried.

“The bride of my former Master arrives.” Vader stepped into her line of sight. “We meet at last. I am Vader Ren, but soon, you will call me Master."

“Kind of hard to do that when you’’re about to lose your head.” Ventress’ tone was colder than ice. “You know, in Kylo, I find his admiration of Lord Vader adorable. In you, I find it disgusting."

“What I find disgusting is your devotion to someone as weak and pathetic as him.” Vader countered. “Love makes you weak! Pathetic! You ran right into my trap because I severed your connection. Your affection clouds your vision, your judgement! It’s why you are afraid. You fear losing him. He fears losing you. I’d find it admirable if it wasn’t so sappy and stupid."

“Supreme Leader approves."

“The Supreme Leader is a fool and so are you!” Vader disrobed to pull out his own lightsaber, an even more unholy mess than Kylo’s. “If you will not join me, and neither will he, then I will destroy you both and take your powers…and show the Knights the real power of love in all its destructive glory! How did the old legend go? Love can ascend them to higher power or lead them to ruin.” He raised his saber. “And in your case, it’s about to be the latter. Once and for all, I will prove that love can lead to ruin."

Just as he was about to bring the saber down to stab Kylo, his body was locked into place.

“Vader, you talk way too much.” Ventress sounded annoyed as she stalked forward. “I have listened to your damn monologuing for far too long and I really just wish you would shut up."

He opened his mouth to start talking and found him self violently shoved into a nearby wall. Ventress was having none of it.

“Do me a favor. Don’t talk.” She proceeded to throw Vader into another wall. “I’ve listened to you long enough. Now, you are going to listen to _me_.”

“Lady Ventress…” Tyranus began.

“QUIET!” Her voice echoed off the walls. “I see now…what the vision was trying to tell me. I see that the Vader I saw was not the real one, but it was a false one. It was you. The Force warned me of you, of your madness. I should be afraid of you. Only a very powerful Force user can block my bond with Kylo and for a while, I thought Luke Skywalker had finally gotten off his ass and joined the rest of us, but no, it’s a Knight of Ren with delusions of grandeur! Strong in the Force, but untrained. And honestly, you don’t deserve to be."

At this point Vader got up, somehow, and proceeded to rush Ventress with his lightsaber only for her to nearly take his arm off with Kylo’s. The two began their fight in earnest, Vader actually putting up an impressive fight for someone as untrained as he was.

Ventress knew she probably should be using her actual lightsaber and not borrowing Kylo’s, but she found the unholy mess surprisingly good to use. As their blade crossed, she sensed Vader becoming more and more unhinged, his breathing erratic and suddenly, eerily, taking on the mechanized quality she’d heard from Lord Vader in old holicrons.

Suddenly, she shoved him back, allowing her fear to overwhelm her briefly. And then, she saw it: the Vader from her vision.

Vader Ren was backlit against flames, the shadows and the mask, making him look like a looming version of Darth Vader. Even the breath sounded the same.

And for the first time, she understood why Lord Vader had once been so feared.

He managed to push her back into a wall, taking advantage of her fear.

“You’re mad.” She gasped.

"All the best Sith are, my dear." Vader couldn't resist one last dig at her. "Now, be a good girl and hold still...I won't make you suffer...As I would much rather save that for your.. "

He was cut off mid sentence by the plasma blade of Kylo's saber. Ventress had shoved it right through Vader's chest.

"Shut the fuck up." Ventress spat.

And then there was silence.

 

 

After spending half the fight trying to free Kylo from his rrestraints, Tyranus finally managed to free his master. "Are you alright, Lord, Kylo?" He asked, trying to check to see if there was any wounds or brusing.

Kylo got off the table and straightened out his robes. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Tyranus."

Any chance he had of saying anything more was cut off by Ventress running to him and throwing her arms around him.

"Kylo!" She cried, burying her face in his chest. "You...You're okay! You're alive! I was so worried..."

He embraced her as tightly as he could, never wanting to let her go. "My love, I thought I would never see you again..."

"It's okay now. We're together. Everything's going to be fine." She soothed him. "I came as fast as I could the second I couldn't feel you..."

Their minds brushed against each other and each found the presence of the other reassuring. "Why did you come, Ventress? You had to know it was a trap."

"Because I love you. You would have done the same for me." She looked up at him. "And no trap was going to keep me from you."

He kissed the top of her head. "Thank you.”

She had to know. “What happened? Did he hurt you?"

Truth be told, Kylo’s memories of how exactly he and Vader had ended up in the table were very fuzzy and he wasn’t sure if he’d remember things right. “No, he didn’t hurt me….well…not physically. When I woke up he was gloating about how he was going to take everything away from me….starting with you. And the idea of losing you was almost more than I could bear."

He kissed her then, holding her as tight as he could, never wanting to let her go and Ventress allowed herself to be lost in the kiss. Their minds touched through the Force and found comfort and reassurance in their connection. They were together again…and that was all that mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vader Ren is named for Darth Vader (obviously).


	29. 28.5: Kylo, Vader & Ventress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is an AU to the actual chapter 28 in which Vader's identity is revealed as is the reasons he can do what he does. This wound up making this chapter extremely long because everything had to be self contained. 
> 
> I also couldn't do this as a standalone like "Between Desire & Darkness" because the chapter needs the context of this story to make sense. 
> 
>  
> 
> When chapter 29 is uploaded, it will pick up from the ending to the original chapter 28 and move on from there. Just a little FYI.

Kylo Ren roused from consciousness to a dull throbbing in his head and the dawning realization that he could not feel Ventress through the Force. Their Force Bond had been severed…or blocked, he wasn’t entirely sure. But the silence in his head made him panic and struggle to sit up, but he was definitely bound fast to the table he was on. His saber was gone and his mask had been taken off.

He was vulnerable and alone…well, no…not quite. He sensed something else in the same vicinity as him, but he brushed it off, more concerned with how he’d ended up in this predicament in the first place.

He searched his memory to try to recall what had happened. He’d remembered landing on Tatooine to inspect the ruins of the Skywalker cult’s temple. He remembered being greeted by a squadron and then making the trek. And then, the last thing he remembered was being ambushed at the temple and knocked out.

“Well, well, how the mighty have fallen.” A voice spoke from the darkness surrounding Kylo. “The master of the Knights of Ren, brought low by his own order!"

This woke Kylo up a little more and he was able to look around to see where he was. He was basically locked in the main temple of the Skywalker cult (complete with a statue of his blasted Uncle). He was definitely trapped on a table and he noticed someone in black was talking to him…and talking to him with a VERY familiar voice.

“That voice…it sounds like my grandfather…"

“No…but honestly, if I had a grandson as pathetic as you, I wouldn’t want to be called that.” The speaker stepped out of the shadows to reveal the masked visage of Vader Ren, a tall, lanky Knight wearing a mask horrifyingly identical to the one Darth Vader had worn. “You have failed him, _Ben Solo_."

 

Just hearing that name made Kylo want to punch Vader, but since he couldn’t move, he bit back the impulse. But then he realized that Vader had just called him by his old name.

Almost _nobody_ knew that Kylo Ren was once called Ben. How would Vader have known that? And why did his voice sound so familiar? He reached out with the Force to Vader and found nothing familiar. Nothing that would have made an imprint on Kylo. That confused him. “How…how do you know that?”

 

And then, something reached back to Kylo. It was the Force…and then, it began to dawn on Kylo that not only was Vader Force Sensitive, but he was also able to do something with it that was almost unheard of: Vader was able to hide his Force Sensitivity. And not only that, but the Force signature was actually familiar to Kylo. He couldn’t quite put his finger on where he’d felt it before, but he KNEW that it was a familiar signature.

 

“I do my research.” Vader was smug. “And you and Supreme Leader thought I was not sensitive with the Force. I have the potential to be greater than even you…as you’ve no doubt figured out. How else could I have hidden the fact that I am Force Sensitive from you and Supreme Leader? How else could you have lost your link to Ventress?"

The mention of Ventress made Kylo’s anger flare up. “You leave her out of this!"

“You wouldn’t take me on as apprentice, ME, who bears your grandfather’s name!” Vader was ranting again. “But you pick up some scavenger girl from a backwater planet and she is somehow worthy? How insulting!"

Something about Vader’s rant was bothering Kylo, mainly the statement about how he bore his grandfather’s name. He’d heard a rant like this before…. And then, like a ghost from the past, it struck him.

He hadn’t heard this voice in almost 15 years and hadn’t felt that same Force Signature in just as long. But it wasn’t from Vader…it was from someone else.

Suddenly, a memory, one dimmed by over a decade, came into Kylo’s head.

 

_“Ben, please, don’t leave me here! You must tell Supreme Leader! You must train me in the ways of the Dark Side! I bear Grandfather’s name, it’s only right that I, too, become a Knight of Ren. I even picked out my new name: Vader Ren."_

_“Anakin, I can’t. His orders are absolute. You must remain here on Tatooine."_

_“Ben, you’re my twin brother! How can you just leave me here?"_

_“Because I have no choice. Take care of yourself, Anakin. I’m sure we’ll see each other again someday."_

_“Ben! Wait, COME BACK! BEN!"_

 

And then, Kylo spoke a name he hadn’t said in a very long time: "Anakin?"

Vader recoiled as though he'd been shot and then, Kylo KNEW...He knew exactly who it was under the mask.

"It _is_ you..." Kylo was stunned. "Anakin Solo..."

"That name has no meaning to me anymore, _Ben_." Vader spat, removing his helmet on a rage to reveal his face...a face that was identical to Kylo's in almost every way, save for the scar.

Just as Kylo had thought...it was his twin brother, Anakin Solo. That explained everything...including how he had the power to block the Force Bond.

 

"Are you surprised to see me, brother?" Vader asked, putting his mask aside. "Surprised to see me among the Knights of Ren, just like you? You shouldn't be, after all, we are the grandchildren of Darth Vader...the Dark Side is a family legacy. Or at least, I thought it was before you refused to train me yourself. Before you abandoned me on a backwater planet. Before you met _her_."

“You know full well why I couldn’t train you. Supreme Leader forbid it."

“He always favored you over me, just like our parents, just like EVERYBODY!” Vader shouted. “You’re not the only one with raw Force power. All I wanted, brother, was to be just like you…and you turned your back on me. You forgot all about me….but I didn’t forget about you."

“Supreme Leader knows best.” Kylo began to struggle against his bondage. “You know why he wouldn’t train you. He thinks you’re mad and therefore unfit to be trained by me.” He knew then that his brother had never forgiven Snoke for breaking them up and was now about to have his revenge. “And quite frankly, Vader, you ARE mad."

“One man’s madness is another man’s sanity.” Vader proclaimed. “But I’m not concerned with your thoughts. Soon they will be irrelevant."

“Vader, what do you want?"

When the other knight turned to look at Kylo, his eyes were full of rage and insanity. The glare could have killed a lesser person. Kylo felt very unsettled.

“Isn’t it obvious what I want? I want what you have: your position in the Knights of Ren as its leader, your power, your LIFE. And if it weren’t for one tiny thing, I could easily kill you and take your place…"

 

Kylo’s heart dropped into his stomach at the mention of the “one tiny thing”. He knew that that one thing was...

Vader paused in front of a table near where Kylo was being kept captive and pushed some buttons to bring up a holocron image of Ventress up. Vader sighed audibly at the sight of her. “I will say this for you, brother, your taste in women is impeccable. Ventress is beautiful, powerful…oh, what I wouldn’t give to have her for myself."

“You do know that even if you WERE able to take my place, she’d know it was you.” Kylo said.

“Oh, I know, Unfortunately, that’s why you’re here. In order to take your place, I have to get rid of you…and her. Hence, this trap I set for her.” Vader picked up Kylo’s mask and looked at it. “Fooling Snoke will be harder, but since he already thinks me a lost cause…” He put the helmet on, and then turned to face his brother, giving Kylo a taste of what others saw when he wore his mask. “…if I could avoid killing her, your beloved Ventress, I would. You should know that. I admire her. But sadly, she is devoted to you…”

“No…” Kylo murmured, the horror of what was going on finally settling in. His stomach turned. “…Anakin, don’t. Don’t do this. Take your rage out on me, leave her alone."

“DON’T CALL ME THAT!” Vader bellowed, nearly breaking the modulator in the mask. “That name is dead to me. Just like Ben is dead to you.” He stalked up to the table and stared at his brother.

Kylo could feel Vader’s fury and rage, but it was tempered with a sort of sadness that Kylo would pity under different circumstances. This wasn’t just simple sibling jealousy, this was something far worse. Vader had felt like everyone had turned their backs to him and so, he was going to have his revenge on everyone and everything.

“You would betray the Knights of Ren for what? For power? For jealousy? For kicks?” Kylo would have pitied his brother if he hadn’t been so crazy, but now, he was just pissing him off. “Vader…what do you WANT?"

“I already told you what I want.” It was eerie for Kylo to see Vader wearing HIS mask and speaking in a voice that sounded unsettlingly like his. “I want everything you have. I want to be the favored son for once. Everyone LOVED you, even Luke and nobody ever looked at me the same way. I was always forgotten, alone, cast aside. Snoke took YOU under his wing and left me alone on some backwater planet. He wouldn’t even let us train together. I want everything that’s yours…including _her_."

 

“You’re mad….”

“All the best Sith are.” Kylo could hear the smirk in Vader’s voice. “And just like our grandfather before us, I will overthrow you and ascend to the heights of power! And nothing will stand in my way.” A pause. “Not even your beloved."

 

 

Meanwhile, on board the _Assajji_ , Ventress was still locked in her meditation chamber, trying desperately to reconnect with Kylo. The harder she tried, the more she kept encountering a block. Someone was definitely blocking the connection.

Given that she and Kylo were both powerful Force users, it stood to reason that only someone stronger than them could block it. And not even Snoke could do it anymore…so that left only one other possible person and Ventress refused to believe that Luke Skywalker had finally gotten off his ass and started the fight. But who else could there possibly be?

As if answering the call for answers, the Force showed her visions. She could hear weak mechanical breathing. She saw someone else holding up Kylo Ren’s lightsaber, she heard rantings of a person who wanted revenge. And then, in her mind’s eye, the visage of Darth Vader himself amongst flames roared to life. The visage was cold, ominous and his breathing sent chills down her spine. But then, his mask seemed to fall away and she saw herself staring at the face of the man she loved…but this face lacked a scar.

And then, the visage spoke “Don’t you remember me… _Ben_?"

The sound of Kylo Ren’s given name jolted Ventress out of her meditative state and she felt a sense of dread come over her. Kylo was most definitely in danger and she knew she was probably walking into some kind of trap, but she didn’t care.

_Hold on, my love._ She knew he couldn’t hear her, but she still had to try. _I’m on my way._

 

Resigned to the fact that he was either going to die first or watch Ventress die and then die, Kylo closed his eyes and let his head fall back. And he couldn’t warn Ventress, couldn’t save her…and now he was going to lose her. The very idea caused him a fresh wave of pain, which grew even stronger when remembered that this whole plot was masterminded by his own twin brother, a twin, Kylo had long since given up for dead.

Kylo could have kicked himself for not realizing sooner that Vader was his brother. It was rare when all of the Knights of Ren came together, so he’d only seen Vader Ren a few times in passing. He hadn’t even come to the wedding. And the few times, he HAD seen Vader, he hadn’t recognized his Force signature. It didn’t make sense…unless….

“Vader…how? How did you hide your signature from me?” Kylo asked. “I can’t figure that out."

“The exact same way I’m blocking your Force bond with Ventress.” Vader had taken off Kylo’s helmet. “Since you or Supreme Leader refused to train me, I trained myself. I delved deep into the most arcane of Dark Side lore. I studied all sorts of dangerous, forbidden techniques and taught myself things you could only dream of attempting. So, that is how I learned to mask my Force signature from you and how to block your bond with Ventress…although as soon as she’s here, I’m going to drop it.” The creepy smile on his face was unsettling. “…I want you to feel it when I kill her. I want you to SUFFER.” Vader’s eyes were wild. “And then, once you both are gone, I will take your place as the new master of the Knights of Ren…and show Snoke which one of the two of us is the more powerful."

“You won’t win this.” Kylo warned. “You know that."

“You seem so convinced that Ventress and by proxy, her lap dog, Tyranus, will make it here to rescue you.” Vader snorted. “Admirable, really.” A pause and then Vader’s voice grew thoughtful. “is it true? That you killed Han Solo?"

“I don’t want to talk about this.”

“And I heard that your little pet killed Leia Organa. Is that true, too?"

“Vader, I don’t want to…"

“Kylo, don’t lie to me. I’m your brother. And I know all your techniques. Do you really want me poking around in your head?"

Kylo glared at Vader. Truth be told, Vader was nowhere near as good at the mental interrogation as Kylo was and the last thing Kylo needed was for his brother to be digging around in his head right now. Whatever was in there could and would be used against him and there was no point in making this more painful than it had to be.

“Believe it or not, there is a recording of what Ventress did. I saw it. She made Leia believe that you sent her. I sometimes think she was referring to me and not you, but is it no surprise that our parents forgot about me. I suppose they think I died when I joined you. After all, unlike you, I actually had the good sense to keep a low profile."

“You got yourself banished to a backwater planet to protect First Order interests. I hardly think that counts.” Kylo snapped.

“And who was it that left me there on Tattooine?” Vader shot back. “But no matter. I’m mostly stalling for time until your beloved arrives. I’m hoping she doesn’t bring Tyranus with her, but if she does, well, he has to go too."

“Leave her out of this. She has nothing to do with you and me.” Kylo begged. “I beg you, Vader. Please. Leave Ventress alone. Don’t hurt her."

The pleading tone in Kylo’s voice made Vader raise an eyebrow. And then, creepily, he began to laugh. It was an unsettling laugh and made Kylo’s skin crawl. “You…you really do love her, don’t you? Oh, that’s rich. You’d plead for her life, but you didn’t bother with mine. What makes her so special?” A pause. “Now, of course, I could potentially let her live…” The look in his eyes was the look of a man who had jumped off the slippery slope and descended into full madness. “But only long enough to let her watch you die. I know she’s coming and it would just be perfect if I made her suffer just to kill her. Either way, Kylo…I won’t leave her alone."

 

The constant monologuing and gloating were starting to grate on Kylo’s nerves, but in his present state, there was very little he could do to stop Vader. Vader had blocked his Force bond with Ventress, and, he was more disturbed to learn that Vader’s presence in the Force overwhelmed the temple. He couldn’t manipulate it to at least get him out of his bondage without Vader knowing.

“You call yourself the Heir to Darth Vader, don’t you… _brother_?” Vader was now openly mocking his brother. “What a joke. I am the rightful heir. After all, I am the one who bares Grandfather’s name and title. So, all you have rightfully belongs to me, something I plan to fix just as soon as you’re gone…"

“Why don’t you stop wasting time talking and kill me already?” Kylo spat. “If you want me gone that badly, you should have killed me and gotten it over with."

“You know, I actually considered that when you got here, but then I remembered that I don’t want to kill you as much as make you suffer for a while.” A glare. “And as I said, I am mostly stalling for time until your precious Ventress arrives. Like I said…” Vader chose this moment to lean in as close to his twin as he could, smirking the whole time. “…I don’t just want to kill you, Ben. _I want to make you suffer_."

 

For the first time in a very long time, Kylo felt terror, true fear. He was trapped in the Skywalker temple. His bond with Ventress had been cut and he couldn’t protect her from the danger she was surely going to encounter. He couldn’t use any of his Force skills due to Vader’s overwhelming presence (another arcane Sith trick, he supposed). His brother was going to kill him…and worst of all, he was going to lose the woman he loved more than anything else in the galaxy.

He remembered how he had felt Ventress’ own fears as she went to Hoth: how she feared Supreme Leader would tear them apart or that she would lose Kylo. He remembered how he’d tried to reach out and comfort her, only for their bond to be severed before he could reach her.

And then, it began to dawn on Kylo what Supreme Leader had meant when he said he wasn’t going to take Vader on as an apprentice or let him be Kylo’s student: “He may be powerful, but he is touched by madness and it is not good to encourage said madness. He would destroy us all.” At the time, the words had been hard to hear, but now, they made sense. Even before Kylo knew Vader was Anakin, he knew what Vader was known for: a sort of madness that would prove detrimental to the First Order.

Vader wasn’t just drunk on the Dark Side: he had fully lost his mind to it.

“Your hate overwhelms you.” Kylo murmured. “Now I understand why Supreme Leader wouldn’t let me train you…you’re mad. You would betray the First Order, the Knights of Ren, Supreme Leader…and me, your BROTHER, all because you were too angry to heed the wisdom of the Supreme Leader and because of a stupid grudge against me. Your hate makes you powerful, _Anakin_ , but it will lead to your downfall."

 

“Big words coming from the one strapped to a table.” Vader snapped.

“You know it’s true, Vader. It was what lead to the death of Darth Sidious: overconfidence and arrogance.” Kylo was starting to get a second wind. His fear had reminded him of his love for Ventress and he had to protect her…even if that meant goading Vader into killing him before she could reach the temple. “Your overconfidence, your arrogance and your hate…it’s your weakness, your flaw. And it will be what finally ends you."

“QUIET” Vader reached out his hand and began to choke Kylo. “You know _nothing_ about me. NOTHING! I’ll show you weakness…."

 

Suddenly, the doors to the temple seemed to blow open with such force that it shook the walls and nearly knocked said doors off their hinges. A powerful and familiar presence then filled Kylo’s mind.

The sound was enough to get Vader to let Kylo go. The flames in the temple seemed to flare up and Kylo could feel Vader’s dread and fear.

“I have a bad feeling about this…” The traitourous knight murmured.

Suddenly, a voice spoke, anger present in its cold tone. “Good. You should."

Kylo perked up. _That voice..._

 

“Well, well, well…” Vader smirked, straightening up. “Look who finally decided to join us.” He decided to move the table so Kylo could look at the doors.

The sight that filled Kylo’s eyes filled him with joy. “Ventress!"

Ventress Ren was standing in the doorway. She didn’t have her mask on, and her eyes blazed in the firelight of the temple, burning white hot with rage. However, when she got a good look at Kylo and Vader, her expression changed to one of surprise. “Kylo…what…"

“Allow me to introduce myself…” Vader stepped forward, his mask in hand. “Welcome to the Temple of the Skywalker Cult. I am Vader Ren."

Ventress was confused. “Why do you look like Kylo?” Her tone was guarded, cautious.

“Because we’re twins.” Vader replied casually. The next words he spoke took on a colder tone as he dropped into his usual persona. “I’m almost positive he didn’t mention me to you before."

“Because I thought you’d DIED.” Kylo spat.

“SHUT UP!!” Vader roared, causing several things to be knocked over. He then turned back to Ventress, slowly walking towards his brother’s lover. “It’s so nice to finally meet you, Ventress. I’ve heard so much about you."

Ventress took a step back. Vader’s presence through the Force was incredibly overwhelming and unsettling, as was the way he was walking towards her. He stopped a few feet away from her, staring at her intensely.

“You’re even more beautiful in person.” Vader mused. “No wonder my brother is so taken with you."

“Don’t come any closer!” Ventress threatened. She didn’t want him near her.

Vader ignored her, pulling her to him through the Force. He grabbed her chin with one hand, making her look into his eyes. “Oh yes…truly beautiful.” He paused, licking his lips. “In time, I hoped you would call me Master, but unfortunately…well…"

Ventress’ skin was threatening to crawl right off her body. Vader may wear Kylo’s face, but he was nothing like her beloved. Everything about him felt wrong, right down to the wild and insane expression in his dark eyes. Vader had the eyes of a madman…and a signature in the Force to match.

“I will never call you Master.” She spat.

“I know.” Vader sighed dramatically. “And I’m sure you’re just full of questions as to who I am, why you’re here and what I can do…Well, I do plan to answer some of them…but first…"

Something in the Force around them changed and Ventress could finally reach out to Kylo again. The image in her mind depicted his hand reaching for hers and holding it tightly. Relief flooded her body.

 

_Are you alright?_ She reached out to him first. _I came as fast as I could. I couldn’t reach out to you, but I felt your Force signature. That’s how I knew you were here._

_Ventress, you have to leave. You must leave. Vader is mad. He will kill you. This entire thing was a set up for us both. He plans to kill you and then me. You must go. Forget about me._

_No…NO! I won’t leave you!_

 

They were cut off by the sound of Vader laughing, which had taken on an eerie, robotic tone as he’d put his mask on. “Oh, you two are even more pathetic than I originally thought."

Ventress realized at this point that Vader was extremely powerful in the Force and that he was behind the block of her Force Bond. And then, she felt violated when she realized that he’d been listening to them. “You…you’re a monster."

“Oh, don’t say things like that, Lady Ventress.” Vader scoffed. “I haven’t even begun to show you how monstrous I can truly be."

Ventress and Kylo were both positive that neither of them wanted to see that.

“As I said before, my name is Vader Ren. Kylo Ren, the Master of the Knights of Ren, is my twin brother. He abandoned me here not long after the two of us destroyed all our uncle had hoped to build. He would’t have done it if not for me and for the Supreme Leader’s encouragement. Of course, I expected to be allowed to train with my brother, or even be trained under him, but Snoke dumped me here, claiming that I would be a detriment to the Order. Snoke, like Skywalker, is a fool. They underestimated my power, my Force talents and even my devotion to the Dark Side…in favor of my weak twin who cried after he killed our father.” Vader took this opportunity to mock his brother again, something he was enjoying a little too much. “But that was typical. He showed signs of being stronger than me, so of course everyone fawned all over him! But oh, how the tables have turned. Now I am the more powerful one and both my brother and his little pet are at my mercy."

“Ventress is not a pet.” Kylo spat, struggling to get out of his restraints. “She is my equal."

 

Vader ignored that comment. “So, since Snoke would not teach me, I trained myself. I learned the most arcane dark lore, taught myself all kinds of techniques and bode my time. I knew that one day I would have my revenge and now, my time has finally come. I will kill my brother and usurp his power and take his place as the new master of the Knights of Ren. Nothing is going to stand in my way.” His masked visage met Ventress’ eyes. “Not even you, the so-called Mistress of the Knights of Ren will be able to stop me. Because, you see, Lady Ventress…I don’t just want my brother dead. I want him to suffer. And the best way, I discovered, to make him suffer is to attack the thing he loves most in the entire galaxy…"

Ventress had a sinking feeling in her stomach at those words.

“And it just so happens that that particular thing was so devoted to him that it ran right into a trap. And you know it, don’t you?” Vader stalked back up to Ventress. “You knew this was a trap. And yet, you still came. Such devotion should be rewarded."

Just as Vader opened his mouth to say more, he turned around. “Well, well, if it isn’t the Lady Ventress’ loyal lapdog!"

Tyranus had somehow managed to sneak into the temple and was trying to free Kylo from his restraints when he got caught. Picking up his weapon, a giant mace of some description, Tyranus came around the table where Kylo lay and faced Vader.

“It’s been a while, Vader.” Tyranus said. “Has Tattoine really been that bad?"

“So the rumors are true. You follow the Lady Ventress around like a lapdog.” Vader chuckled.

“You spend some time stuck on Lothal and you’d do anything to get off it. Which is more than I can say for you.” Tyranus spat. “You are no Knight of Ren if you’re so willing to overthrow our Master just to prove a point to Supreme Leader."

“Tyranus,,,” Ventress began.

Vader looked at Tyranus. “Are you in love with her, Tyranus? Do you love the Lady Ventress?"

“I would be lying if I said I didn’t.” Tyranus was aware of Ventress’ eyes on him. “But I love her the way a student would love a teacher. She saw potential in me when no one else would and has shown me many things. My devotion to her is not on the level of her devotion to Lord Kylo, but it’s just as strong…and I won’t let you hurt her."

“Admirable.” Vader replied. “Stupid, but admirable.”

“Tyranus, don’t!” Kylo yelled from his position on the table. “Don’t engage him! You must protect Ventress! Get her out of here!"

“My lord, you know she won’t leave without you.” Tyranus replied.

“THEN MAKE HER!” Kylo shouted.

Vader had had enough of this nonsense and he froze Tyranus in place before knocking him out and moving his body aside. “There. Now we can continue our little discussion without having to worry about him."

“TYRANUS!” Ventress shrieked.

“Oh, do shut up. He’ll be fine. He’s just unconscious.” Vader turned his attention back to Ventress. “But he’s in way over his head if he thinks he can take on me. I have to admire him though. We should all be so lucky as to have such devoted students.”

“You…” Ventress was horrified. “You…"

“Oh trust me, if I wanted him dead, I wouldn’t have let him even get close to Kylo.” Vader was mocking her again. “Although since he means so much to you…"

He was cut off by Ventress Force shoving him clear across the room and into a wall. He hit with a loud thud noise and crumpled in a heap. She took this moment to rush over to the table and try to undo the restraints. “I’m getting you out of here."

“Ventress, don’t."

“I’m not leaving here without you. Don’t you remember? Our promise. We leave together…or not at all."

Just as she was able to free his legs, the sound of a lightsaber igniting from behind made her freeze.

“You know, what I find truly pathetic about you, Ventress, is just how incredibly stupid you are. You ran into a trap, a trap you knew about, simply because I severed your connection to Kylo. Your affection, your love, it poisons you. Clouds your judgement and vision. The Jedi were right, of course. Attachment and possession are dangerous. You would do anything for Kylo…you would and you have.” The electronic tone in Vader’s voice only made his staments more chilling. “You’ve killed for him…you killed our mother for him."

“I didn’t do it for him.” Ventress spat, turning her back to Kylo to face Vader, who was holding his lightsaber out to her. “And the fact that you assume something like that…"

 

“Oh, don’t play coy, Ventress….no, _Rey_.” Vader snapped. “Supreme Leader told you to go kill Leia Organa to rid my brother of any more unnecessary calls to the Light. I saw the holicron. She thinks Kylo sent you and you cut her down. You did it for my brother…wether or not you want to admit it."

The sound of her old name, a relic of her old life made her freeze.

 

“You both are each other’s greatest weakness.” Vader continued. “You both fear losing each other more than anything else. It’s so sappy, so pathetic, so stupid. Love is a weakness, a means to destruction. It’s what killed Grandfather, after all…love for his son. If he hadn’t been so stupid and allowed himself to be fried by Darth Sidious…but instead, he was defeated by the love of his son. And in a lovely bit of irony, his grandson will die because of his love for a stupid, weak, pathetic scavenger girl!” He then managed to Force push Ventress clear across the room and into a wall.

“VENTRESS!!” Kylo screamed as she crumpled to the floor in a heap.

“I am going to take great pleasure in my brother’s suffering.” Vader said. “And I will take even greater pleasure in murdering you."

Ventress groaned, the wind having been knocked out of her.

Vader grabbed her by the hair. “You are a fool. A fool to think you can beat me. I see you…I see you for what you truly are. You think you can hide yourself behind your robes, your name, your powers? You are still just Rey, a stupid, filthy scavenger rat from a desert planet. That’s all you are and that is all you will ever be!” He managed to get her back on the ground, taking her staff lightsaber and tossing it aside. He stepped on her chest, pointing his lightsaber at her throat. “You are nothing but a rat. And I am going to kill you like one."

Vader raised his lightsaber up and then, suddenly, his body froze.

Ventress was frozen in shock. She knew this wasn’t her own doing. And she looked behind Vader to see Kylo, his hands still bound. Despite that fact, and despite the fact that the Force around Vader was almost overwhelming, Kylo had managed to freeze Vader in place.

“You…are not a rat.” Kylo gasped. The effort this was taking was clearly taking a toll on him. “And you are not Rey. You are Ventress…and I love you."

She realized he couldn’t hold Vader in place much longer and decided to act. Shifting her body around, she managed to kick Vader in the stomach, knocking him down. Then, she managed to pull Kylo’s lightsaber to her and stand up.

“If there are any rats in this temple…” Ventress gasped. “…it’s you, Vader.” She ignited Kylo’s saber and it roared to life.

Vader had gotten his wind back and he dove for Ventress, yelling. She nearly cut his arm off for his trouble.

The two began their fight in earnest, Vader actually putting up an impressive fight for someone as untrained as he was.

Ventress knew she probably should be using her actual lightsaber and not borrowing Kylo’s, but she found the unholy mess surprisingly good to use. As their blade crossed, she sensed Vader becoming more and more unhinged, his breathing erratic and suddenly, eerily, taking on the mechanized quality she’d heard from Lord Vader in old holicrons.

She managed to push him back and then, suddenly, backlit against flames, she saw Darth Vader.

Vader Ren’s mask and profile made him look eerily like Darth Vader and his breathing had taken on the same mechanical quality. The image was terrifying and Ventress nearly panicked. This was the Vader from her vision.

She then understood why so many had feared the specter of Darth Vader.

“Don’t underestimate my power, Ventress.” Vader murmured.

“No, it’s you who shouldn’t be underestimating mine.” Ventress shot back before they engaged in combat.

Their blades locked at one point and Ventress found herself being nearly overwhelmed by Vader’s aura of darkness. He pushed her back against the wall, clearly sensing her fear.

“Your fear betrays you.” Vader taunted. “You’re afraid of me. I like that."

“You want to be more like Darth Vader when in reality, you’re more like the Emperor…right down to being fucking creepy.” Ventress gasped, trying to cover herself. “And here I thought Hux was crazy.” A pause. His madness was overwhelming her. “You…you’re mad. Just plain mad."

“All the best Sith are, my dear.” He was smirking.

 

Ventress was terrified. Vader was definitely stronger than she thought he would be and his madness only seemed to make him stronger. She wasn’t sure if she could even get him down at this rate.

_I…I can’t do this. He’s too strong._

_Ventress…_

_Kylo…I can’t…I can’t…He’s too much._

_He is driven by his hate. He doesn’t understand love. You do. Use it._

 

 

Vader sighed. “You just do not know when to give up do you?” He put his lightsaber aside. “Fine.” He looked back at Kylo and then at Ventress. “Brother…remember how I said I wanted you to suffer? Well, perhaps the best way to achieve that…” The Force seemed to crackle around them. “…is to make her suffer."

Kylo’s eye widened. “No…Vader…DON’T!"

Lifting his hands, Vader directed a powerful jolt of Force Lightning at Ventress, causing her to drop the lightsaber and hit the floor, screaming in pain.

“Oh, I had no idea pain was so delicious.” Vader mused before shocking Ventress again. “Her suffering…her pain…it’s amazing."

Ventress writhed on the floor between shocks, screaming in agony.

“VENTRESS!” Kylo kept struggling to try to get out of his bondage. Her pain was overwhelming him now that their Bond was back and he had to do something, but the shackles that held his arms seemed to be Force-Proof.

“Your love will be the end of you both.” Vader murmured. “And I will have finally won.” He then proceeded to shock Ventress some more, clearly getting off on her pain and his brother’s growing panic and distress.

“Do you understand now?” Vader couldn’t help but gloat some more. “You have failed. Both of you. Now I have…"

He was stopped mid-sentence by the plasma blades of Kylo’s lightsaber, which Ventress had managed, with some Force help, to shove into his chest.

“You…” Ventress panted. “…you talk too much."

As Vader slumped to the floor, the shackles that held Kylo came free.

Ventress, exhausted, collapsed on the floor, barely conscious. Kylo got up and rushed to her side.

“Ventress…Ventress…” Kylo held her in his arms. “My love, are you alright?"

“I’ll be fine…” She assured him. She was just drained by the whole ordeal. “Did he hurt you?"

“No…” He then kissed her hand. “I’m okay."

 

Their minds touched and she felt warmth and assurance and love.

They were back together…and everything would be just fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I went the "evil twin" route. Hey, nobody said that Han and Leia only had ONE kid!


	30. All I Ask Of You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said when I published 28.5, this chapter and 30 and probably 31 will deal directly with the fallout of the original 28 and not its "evil twin revision". 
> 
>  
> 
> Time for a little soul searching and romance before dealing with the fallout of Vader's treachery, don't you agree?

By the time they got back to the ship, the temple (and Vader with it) had been left as a smoldering crater on the surface of the planet and Ventress just wanted a damn shower.

When she emerged from the bathroom, Kylo was waiting for her on the bed, dressed in a loose black robe and long black pants. His skin looked paler than usual, old scars standing out on him. And despite what he had said, she could see some bruising on him, presumably from his fight with Vader. He lifted his head when he heard her footsteps. There was a weariness about him that Ventress didn’t recognize and she was worried.

“Kylo?” She asked, toweling off her hair. “Are you okay?"

He looked up at her. “You asked me what happened.” He began. “And truth be told, I don’t remember much, but I do remember that I was on Tatooine to see what was left of the Skywalker cult and then Vader ambushed me. I’ve…I’ve never felt so helpless…so weak. Maybe Vader was right and I’m not as strong as I thought I was.” A pause. “I can’t be that powerful if someone as untrained in the Force was able to block my Force Bond with you and keep me helpless."

His sorrow and pain sang through him and Ventress just stood there for the longest moment. He looked so lost and it made her heart ache.

“…and then, he was going to hurt you.” He kept talking. “…he had set up a trap to catch you and was going to kill you before he killed me. And I would have been helpless, powerless to save you. You…who means more to me than anything else. I don’t…I don’t deserve my title or my power if I can’t protect it from someone without any training.” He looked up at her. “And you…you walked right into the trap, even though you knew it was a trap. And all I wanted was to be able to tell you not to come. I would much rather lose my life, my position, my power…everything…than lose you."

“Kylo…” She’d seen this look on his face before, twisted in pain and confusion, but bathed in red, a relic of another lifetime…

“If loving you makes me weak…"

“It doesn’t.” She’d had enough monologuing for one day. “You are not weak. Far from it. Don't let the rantings of a madman cloud your vision. You are powerful, more than you know." She made him look at her. "Don't you remember our promise? To never leave the other behind? All that I am...all that I've become, is because of you. Because you saw potential in me, because you trained me....because you loved me. Kylo, you're far more powerful than I could ever be...and being captured by a lunatic doesn't make you weak."

This brought a small smile to his face. "What did I do to deserve you?" He asked.

She kissed the top of his head and then went to find something to sleep in.

When she emerged in a simple white nightgown, she padded over to the large windows, looking at the stars. "On the trip from Hoth, I spent the entire time trying to connect with you again. I was so used to being able to feel you that not having you there scared me."

"It scared me, too." He went to embrace her, inhaling the sweet scent of her skin. "But I cannot tell you how relieved I was when I heard your voice. I was beginning to fear I would never hear it again..."

"It was your fear that gave me power." She confessed. "I was so angry and so scared and then when I felt your fear, I think it gave me the power to face down Vader. I wasn't going to let him take you from me. And especially not some lunatic with delusions of being Darth Vader." She relaxed into his embrace, his skin comforting. "And then, I felt it...The true power of the Dark Side."

He knew what she was talking about. He had felt it just as strongly as she had...the overwhelming power of hate, anger and fear which gave rise to a powerful passion and devotion. Instead of letting her fear and rage control her, Ventress had channeled it into power...The very same power that gave her the strength to defeat Vader.

“Sometimes I wonder when exactly you became stronger than I. ” He murmured, kissing her shoulder.

“Hush.” She wouldn’t listen to him verbally beat himself up anymore. It was emotionally draining for her to listen to it, because she could also feel it. “If it were me who was in danger, I know full well you would have come for me. And you would have done the same things I did.” She rested her head against his shoulder. “If anything, we proved Vader wrong. Love is not a weakness…it’s a strength."

“Ventress…” Kylo murmured. He paused, biting his lip. He wasn’t sure what to say next.

She turned around in his embrace and looked into eyes that seemed to know all her secrets and made her feel safe. Her fingers trailed across pale skin and over old scars before finally reaching the opening of his robe and pushing it off his body.

Their minds touched and she was shown a memory of the first time he saw her…and for the first time, she saw his thoughts during that fateful meeting.

_Oh. Oh, it’s **you**. The one I’ve been waiting for. You’re just like me._

“The map wasn’t the only thing I wanted from you…” He murmured, stroking her cheek. “…I wanted you to be my equal…to stay by my side. I was so lonely, so lost and suddenly, there you were, burning with the intensity of a thousand suns. And now, I have you and you have me and it’s more than I could have ever wanted.” A pause. “I love you."

Hearing those words after everything that had happened, after fearing that she would lose him, him who had loved and adored her and given her so much and helped her become who she was, who had loved her, even before she became Ventress, made her heart sing. She ran her fingers along his face, along the scar she had left behind and kissed him deeply.

Her next words were slightly coy in tone and he was reminded of this same exchange between his parents, during happier times.

“I know."


	31. The Citadel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you squint, you can see a Revan/Bastila reference from Knights of the Old Republic (a game I never played but recently read an EXCELLENT meta about)
> 
> This chapter was what I call a "bottle chapter", just one for some exposition and to introduce you to the rest of the Knights and to where Snoke is headquartered.

Snoke’s citadel in the Unknown Regions was a dark, foreboding place. It just oozed darkness out of every stone and crack and crevice and every bit of the place seemed to stink of Snoke’s powerful presence in the Force. It was hardly the idea place for a meeting of the Knights of Ren, but considering one of the members of the order had just tried to not only murder Kylo Ren, but also Ventress Ren, Kylo figured that the best way to weed out any dissenters was to summon all of them to the citadel.

“Perhaps the presence of Supreme Leader will make the others think twice before deciding on betrayal.” Kylo murmured as he and Ventress headed towards one of the larger conference rooms were the rest of the Knights had been gathered. “Even if you’re not strong in the Force, you can sense him here. Even Hux can."

“I know betrayal is the way of Sith but I would like to think your knights are little more loyal, my dear.” Ventress wasn’t hiding the hurt she’d felt at being betrayed very well. “And I know they whisper about me behind my back and about Tyranus. They think of him as my lapdog."

“Tryanus is fiercely loyal to you. I find that an asset. We might not have gotten past Vader if not for him.” Kylo said. “Here we are.” He stopped in front of large heavy door and was about to open it when he heard arguing

“This this what we want the Knights of Ren to become?” Tyranus was talking (well, it was more like shouting). “An order based on treachery and backstabbing and disloyalty to our master and the Supreme Leader? Once we start down this path, we become no better than the Sith! And we ALL saw what became of the Sith Order!"

“Big talk coming from Lady Ventress’ lapdog. You’re more whipped than Lord Kylo when it comes to her.” Another Knight, one Ventress couldn’t identify shot back.

“Need I remind you lot that Vader Ren almost outright MURDERED our master!” Oppress Ren spoke next. “Perhaps we should heed Tyranus on this and remember our oaths. We are not the Sith. We shouldn’t behave like it."

“So it is true then?” It was Grevious Ren who was speaking now. “Vader Ren really did try to murder Lord Kylo and Lady Ventress?"

“I heard his ranting.” Tyranus said. “That was definitely his intention. He wanted our master’s power and position and was willing to murder for it. That is Sith level treachery and we are not Sith. I don’t care WHAT we tell ourselves, we are not. The only ones who are allowed to call themselves that are our master and mistress."

“And it is also true, Tyranus, that you’re in love with the Lady Ventress?” Another Knight was openly mocking him. “How can we trust your judgment when it is just as clouded when it comes to her as our master’s?"

At that, Ventress had had enough. Taking off her mask, she called on the Force and nearly blasted the door open with a powerful Force push.

The gathered Knights all froze.

“Lady Ventress!” Oppress was stunned. “…did…did you hear all of that?"

“Yes.” Ventress stormed into the room, her rage on display for all to see (and feel). “And don’t think I haven’t heard the whispers and snide comments you’ve made about me. I don’t ask to be liked. I don’t even ask for respect, but I DO ask not to be insulted. And given how most of you feel about me, I suppose I shouldn’t be SURPRISED that one of you tried to kill me!"

“My lady, I assure you.” Oppress knew that calming her down would go a long way in making sure nobody died. “Not all of us want to kill you. Vader Ren was mad with a lust for power. He has always despised Lord Kylo and was enraged with jealousy when you became our master’s apprentice."

“I’m aware of that. Otherwise you’d all be dead.” Ventress replied. She scanned the room. In all, there were 12 (now 11) Knights, not including herself and Kylo. She could identify Oppress, Grevious and Tyranus, but she was’t sure about the other 8. She had seen them in passing, but not learned their names. “And frankly for a group of Knights who insist they’re not Sith, almost all of you are named for Sith."

“Don’t be rude to LadyVentress.” Oppress told the other eight knights. “Introduce yourselves…politely. Otherwise none of us are going to leave this room alive."

Silence fell for a long moment before a short knight, wielding a naginata stepped forward. “It is an honor to meet you, Lady Ventress.” He bowed. “My name is Revan Ren.” His mask reminded her of something she’d seen in the empire’s archives, similar to the masks of the imperial guard.

The rest of the Knights soon followed Revan and all were named after various Sith Lords (and a lady) from history: Bane, Sidious, Plageius, Marka, Malak, Sion and Traya. Each wielded a different weapon and mask. She also learned that out of the Knights of Ren, only she, Kylo and Vader were Force sensitives and therefore, used lightsabers.

Upon meeting her for the first time, many of the Knights were immediately apologetic, but Ventress wasn’t buying it. She could tell when people were lying to her and some of the Knights were. However, she could appreciate them trying to save face, especially when Kylo finally made himself known in the room. But she knew, deep in her heart, that they feared him more than they feared her and that just made her angrier.

It was like being back on Jakku all over again.

Sion, who was rather thin for a Knight, spoke next. It had been him who’d accused Tyranus of being in love with her. “We had no idea our master’s bride was so beautiful."

“Yes you did.” Oppress said. “We were at the wedding. Stop lying to save face. You had no trouble calling her a whore twenty minutes ago."

If Ventress could have seen Sion’s face, she was poitive an exrpession of utter fear was on it.

“A whore, Sion?” Kylo asked.

“Well, she came out of nowhere and suddenly became your apprentice and then your wife. The rest of us were much more capable of being your apprentice than she was.” Sion knew that if he wasn’t honest, Kylo was going to go into his head and MAKE him be honest. “So, what were we supposed to think aside from the fact that she has seemed to enslave you sexually?!"

Sidious and Plageius nodded their heads in agreement. Bane audibly groaned.

“See, this is why Supreme Leader is forced to do things like strand us on backwater planets.” Bane said. “You have no respect for women, Sion. And to say that IN FRONT OF HER…"

“The Master asked. I obeyed.” Sion wasn’t backing down. “And she is no mistress of mine."

“You don’t speak for all of us, Sion.” Revan said. “You have no manners. Is this really how you speak to the Lady Ventress? Some of us would love to find someone as beautiful and strong as her."

“There you go again, with your dreams of finding your own Bastila.” Malak chuckled. “You do know how that story ended, don’t you?"

“If I could know that kind of love, I would die happy.” Revan ignored Malak. “And have we forgotten our vows. We follow our master and by extension our mistress. And I, for one, am glad Vader is gone. His madness had no place here."

“Our vows are to follow Lord Kylo and by extension, Lady Ventress.” Traya added. “And if you can’t follow those vows…” Traya seemed to be looking directly at Sion, Plageius and Sidious as he spoke. “You have no place in the Knights of Ren."

“I agree.” Bane added.

Ventress wasn’t sure what to feel at this revelation. She had known some of the Knights would be on her side, but she hadn’t thought over half of them would pledge their loyalty to her.

Kylo, on the other hand, was FURIOUS at Sion. “You would call my wife a whore, to her face and not expect punishment?!” His tone was cold, but suddenly Sion was gasping for air. “How DARE you! Ventress may not ask for respect from you, but I do!”

“My Lord, forgive me…” Sion gasped. “I did not mean to offend her!"

“LIAR!” Kylo’s anger seemed to crackle through the air as Sion was lifted up into the air and nearly slammed into a wall. “Do not lie to me, your master, to save your own skin! I can read you, Sion Ren and I do not like what I am seeing!"

The Force choke knocked Sion’s mask off. “My Lord…"

“I am not interested in your apologies, Sion.” A pause. “In fact, I am not interested at all in what you have to say.” Kylo’s grip tightened and then, suddenly, Sion slumped to the floor, dead.

Silence fell over the room and Kylo stood up to his full height.

“Good riddance.” Bane muttered under his breath.

“If you cannot show Ventress the respect she deserves and the respect you show me, then you have no place in the Knights of Ren.” Kylo said, tone flat. “Do I make myself clear?” The question was directed mostly to Sidious and Plagieus.

The two looked at each other. “Absolutely clear.” Sidious said, meaning every word.

“A shame someone had to die for that point to finally get into your thick skulls.” Marka finally spoke, having mostly remained silent through the proceedings. “Even Darth Sidious had more respect for those around him."

“Darth Sidious was fucking crazy.” Malak muttered.

“But he was very intelligent considering he built the Empire by destroying the Republic from within.” Sidious replied. “But yes, my Lord, I understand. We show the Lady Ventress the same respect we show you…and no questions asked."

“You’re smarter than you look, Sidious.” Malak said. “And now that we are done insulting Lady Ventress and making Lord Kylo angry, can we please talk about Vader and his treachery?"

“Vader is dead and the Skywalker Cult’s temple along with him.” Ventress sat down at the table, resting back in a chair. “I’m sure we won’t be hearing from him again."

“How do you know he’s dead, Lady Ventress?” Bane asked.

“Because I am the one who killed him.” She was non-chalant. “I want him through with a lightsaber and set the temple on fire. And if he comes back, then I’ll kill him again.”

“We are not Sith, despite the fact that we named ourselves after Sith.” Kylo took his seat at the head of the table. “Treachery and betrayal do not rule our order and will not be tolerated. Is that understood?"

“Yes, Lord Kylo.” Came the unified response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, all of the Knights of Ren, with the exception of Kylo, are named after either Dark Jedi, cyborg apprentices or Sith Lords (and a lady) from both the regular canon or the now defunct EU:
> 
> Rey/Ventress Ren: Assajji Ventress  
> Grevious Ren: General Greivious  
> Tyranus Ren: Darth Tyranus (Count Dooku)  
> Oppress Ren: Savage Oppress (the brother of Darth Maul)  
> Bane Ren: Darth Bane  
> Revan Ren: Darth Revan   
> Sion Ren: Darth Sion  
> Sidious Ren: Darth Sidious/Emperor Palpatine  
> Plageius Ren: Darth Plageius  
> Vader Ren: Darth Vader  
> Marka Ren: Darth Marka  
> Malek Ren: Darth Malek  
> Traya Ren: Darth Traya


	32. Much Ado About Force Bonds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MANY, MANY, MANY thanks to Ohtze over on Tumblr for allowing me to reference (kinda) her excellent meta on Bastila/Revan, their similiarities to Rey/Kylo Ren and Force Bonds. This really helped in getting this chapter out (as Wookiepedia is too confusing for me). 
> 
> If you want to read the meta, please go to http://ohtze.tumblr.com/post/137090484408/my-one-and-only-or-why-force-bonds-are-so 
> 
> I PROMISE it will be worth your time. 
> 
> AKA, KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC REFERENCES GALORE IN THIS CHAPTER.

After the meeting with the other Knights was over, Kylo took Ventress on a tour of the citadel. There wasn’t much to see besides the meeting rooms, and the audience chamber where the Knights had meetings with Snoke, but what he had really wanted to show her was the massive library. He figured seeing such a sight would cheer her up…and he had another story to tell her. 

 

 

The library dwarfed the one on their personal Super Star Destroyer by several margins and the sight of it alone nearly made her faint.   

 

 

“I’ve never seen so many books or old holicrons in my entire life!” Ventress was awestruck. 

 

 

“It dwarfs anything that the Jedi had in their archives. Supreme Leader has spent ages collecting all kinds of arcane lore from both sides of the Force. When I first came here, I spent days in the library, reading all kinds of stories and learning all kinds of things…things that Luke Skywalker would never teach me.”  Kylo explained.  “This is where I learned many of the things I passed on to you…and now it is your turn to learn from these books.”  A pause. “Before we take on Luke Skywalker, there is much you need to learn. Much you need to know. And many of those things are things I cannot teach you."

 

 

Ventress considered this, but then she remembered something from the meeting with the other Knights.  “Kylo…who was Malak referring to when he said that Revan dreamed of finding his own Bastila?"

 

 

Kylo took this opportunity to take off his mask and put it down on a table before he went over to a set of shelves and began looking around.  “I’m glad you asked me that…I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to tell you that story."

 

 

“You mean like the one you told me when you asked me to marry you?” She asked, curious. 

 

 

“It’s the one I probably should have told you because it explains a lot of things about the Bond we share, but that’s neither here or there…” Kylo looked thoughtful and then pulled a series of books and a couple of holocrons out and then sat down at the table and invited his beloved to sit by him.    “Among the Sith Lords and many Jedi, there are plenty of stories of Force Bonds, much like the one you and I share, but perhaps the most famous story is the one of Darth Revan and his beloved Bastila Shan."

 

 

Kylo pressed some buttons and an image of a masked man who broke a shocking resemblance to a masked Kylo, along with a woman who looked a lot like Ventress, came up on a screen coming out of the table. Ventress looked at the masked man, then back at Kylo’s mask and then back at the man again.  “….dear…” She began.

 

 

“Yes, I know he looks like me. This is Darth Revan. He was also, in his time, known as Revanchist, The Revan and Revan the Butcher. He was a huge deal thousands and thousands of years ago, in the era of the Galatic Republic, when both the Jedi Order and the Sith Order were far more powerful than they are now."

 

 

“You mean they existed.” Ventress quipped. 

 

 

“Well, yes. Obviously.”  He chuckled.  “When I had my mask made, I intentionally based it on Revan’s.  I know you probably expected me to base it off my grandfather’s, but his was part of a life support system and therefore, not aesthetically…pleasing.” He opened a book and flipped it open to reveal a picture of a very handsome young man who looked remarkably like Kylo (although his nose was a little smaller and his skin was not as pale).   “This is what he looked like under the mask."

 

 

“Wow…” Her eyes were wide. “He’s so handsome!"

 

 

“Oh yes…and this was his beloved Bastlia…who looks remarkably like you.”  He pointed to an image of a woman who did look a lot like Ventress, but with a very regal bearing.  “Bastila was a prodigal Jedi. She was incredibly powerful and with a keen affinity for Force Bonding and Battle Meditation.  She could pick through the minds of her opponents without much effort…kind of like you.”  He ran his fingers along her cheek as he spoke, watching her lean into his touch.   “She was powerful and beautiful, but she had a tendency to get in way over her head…which is how she got stuck in the bond with Revan in the first place…"

 

 

Kylo began to tell Ventress the long, complicated story of Revan’s fall, of his turn to the Dark Side, of how he and Bastila met and how they had bonded and Revan had been mind wiped.   Ventress listened eagerly, hanging on to his every word.  The story had not ended happily, with Revan and Bastlia separated and their family line gone, but he didn’t really mind that part so much. He knew full well that not every love story had a happy ending.

 

 

When he had finished the story, she asked a question that had been bothering her for a long time.  “What’s a Force Bond?"

 

 

“A powerful connection between two Force sensitives. Basically, it is a link through which a pair strong in the Force can influence one another.”  He told her.  “…and something I forced on you when I interrogated you all those years ago without intending to.”  At her puzzled expression, he decided to continue.  “When I entered into your mind, I exposed you to the Force for perhaps the first time and that activated the bond, causing it to form between us. That is how you and I can mentally speak to each other, feel each other, see one another’s memories…it is through the bond."

 

 

“Is such a thing common?”  She asked. 

 

 

“It depends. It has happened between Jedi and their apprentices, life of death situations and even between family members. But the Jedi shied away from such techniques. Revan himself theorized that this was because the forming the bond requires passion, something the Jedi lack.”  Kylo looked thoughtful.  “It is something that Sith are for, hence why so many bonds are between Jedi and Sith or just within the Sith themselves."

 

 

“Why?” Ventress seemed to understood, but she was still curious.

 

 

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the bond opens you up completely to your partner. You feel what they feel, see what they see. It can make you very powerful, the way it does for you and I, but it also can leave you lethally vulnerable…and there is no breaking it. At least…not by choice."

 

 

She seemed to understand and her fingers linked with his.  “You can’t tell where one person is and the other begins…” She knew what that felt like, but before now had never been able to put a name to.  “We influence each other."

 

 

“That’s why they were so dangerous, especially when a Jedi was involved. It often turned them to the Dark Side, especially if the Sith they we’re with was more powerful than them.”  He looked at her. “You and I, we’re more like equals.  That’s why we don’t bleed into one another so much. But, you still feel what  feel…"

 

 

“And I see what you see…” She finished. “Our bond makes us stronger. Even the Supreme Leader knows."

 

 

He kissed her fingertips.   “Done correctly, a Force Bond can make one nearly invincible. But done improperly…it can lead you to ruin.” A pause. “And it’s influenced by the love we share.  Admittedly, this wasn’t the case at first…I didn’t realize I had created the bond with you until you were taking care of me. Do you remember?"

 

 

She did remember.  “You were in my head. You spoke to me…but it wasn’t like before. You wanted to hear me the same way I heard you."

 

 

Their fingers were interlaced now and if she focused, if she really focused, she could see herself through his eyes, feel the love he felt for her.  Was this the power of their bond?

 

 

“The Bond can only be broken by death, but even then…it’s not a clean break. It feels like there’s a huge gaping hole in your soul…like half of you is missing. This was how it felt when I could no longer feel you. I felt like half of me had just disappeared.”  He looked at her with an expression she couldn’t fully read.  “And it was what drove Revan to madness. He was captured by the Sith Emperor before the birth of his son and spent 300 years being tortured for his trouble.  By the time he escaped, his mind and soul were broken, partially because of the torture, but mostly because by then, Bastila was gone and so was his son. So, he went out and took his revenge. Revenge on the universe that stole his one and only from him.”  

 

 

She remembered the feeling. Endless pain. The silence in her mind. Like half of her soul was gone. And then, she understood. The power of the bond…and the pain it could bring. 

 

 

But, then, a thought.  “Can it be used in battle?"

 

 

"What do you mean?"

 

 

“I mean, I may have just discovered an advantage you and I have over Luke Skywalker…"

 

 

 

He was intrigued. “Tell me more."

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, on the upper floors of the library, Revan Ren and Malak Ren were watching Ventress and Kylo.  They’d been studying when their master and mistress entered the library and had stopped when Kylo had begun his lesson.

 

Revan sighed at the sight of Ventress.  “She looks so much like Bastila, doesn’t she?"

 

Malak agreed. “She does."

 

 

“One day, I hope I find someone like Lady Ventress.” Revan said. His voice took on a dreamy quality. “Someone with whom I share a bond like that, someone whom I would shatter the galaxy for. A Bastila of my very own."


	33. Training Days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another bottle chapter, coming up. Also, fun with Force Bonds!

They decide to train for their encounter with Luke Skywalker at the Citadel.  Deep mediation, combat training, the works.

 

 

“Skywalker will be the most powerful and dangerous enemy we will ever face,” Kylo told Ventress.  “We must be sure we’re ready. He has had decades to hone his skills. We….we have weeks."

 

 

“More than enough time."

 

 

“Don’t get too overconfident, my love. Skywalker is dangerous. Even our  advantage, our Bond, may not be enough.” He stroked her cheek.  “We must train harder for this than for any battle before. That is why I have gathered the Knights."

 

 

She understood.  “Then perhaps, it is time I dug something important out of storage."

 

 

What she dug out was her old quarter staff. Lightsaber dueling against people who didn’t use said things was not something she wanted to do. She had designed her newer lightsaber  around her staff, at least at first, before transitioning to a design that worked better in fights. But for battling against others who did not use a saber, her old staff would do.

 

 

The training was absolutely brutal.  Harder than anything Ventress had been through before. Daily fights with the varying Knights of Ren and their arsenal with deep meditation sessions to bathe herself in the Force and the occasional meeting with Supreme Leader Snoke in which he tried to break her (she refused to be broken). Kylo intentionally stayed away and trained separately.  He’d been concerned about their Force bond causing them to bleed into one another and wanted her to be as free of distractions as possible. 

 

 

Not being near him, but being able to feel him, was the hardest part, because bleeding into one another did happen. She could, if she happened to be meditating when Snoke was trying to break him, feel his pain.  And she knew he could feel hers. 

 

 

After one particularly hard session with Revan, Ventress was emotionally and physically exhausted and simply wanted to go sleep for a year. She simply seemed to rest herself more on her staff once she’d gotten Revan down and sighed. 

 

 

“Are you all right, Lady Ventress?” Revan asked.  “You look exhausted."

 

 

“I _am_ exhausted.” Ventress looked like she might just faint at any second.  “But I must keep going. I must stick with the training."

 

 

“Not if you're about to FAINT, you don’t.” Revan was worried. “You should rest."

 

 

“Revan, I’m fine.” She had to sit down on the ground and sighed.

 

 

“My lady, please…I know you have been working hard, but you look so exhausted. You must rest.” Revan said.  

 

 

She considered this for a moment, then she decided to asked Revan a question.  “Revan, tell me….do you really believe there is a Bastila of your own out there?"

 

 

“Oh yes.” Revan knelt by his mistress.  “I believe she is out there, somewhere, waiting for me. I will find her one day. Or she’ll find me. Either way, I know she’s out there."

 

 

“I didn’t think you Knights believed in love."

 

 

“Some of us do, others do not. And then there are those among us who didn’t believe, until we saw you with Lord Kylo,that love was real. And then, I knew..I knew just by looking at you that one day, I would find my Bastila. She’s out there.”  He looked at her. “My lady, I beg of you, rest. You’re no good to any of us in an exhausted state."

 

 

Admittedly, she was incredibly sore and just wanted to at least relax for a spell.   She had to relent. “Oh, all right. I’ll take a break."

 

 

Revan then had an idea. “My Lady, there are hot springs in the depths of the citadel. You can rest there. Bathe. Meditate. It will be good for you."

 

 

“And I will be left alone to bathe in peace unlike last week when I caught Marka spying on me?”  

 

 

“Of course!” Marka had nearly lost his head when Ventress had caught him spying on her while she was bathing.  “You will be left alone. Hardly anyone goes down there."

 

 

A hot bath to relax tired, exhausted muscles was just the thing she needed and she could no longer ignore her body’s screaming. “Where?"

 

 

 

The hot springs were in the very depths of the citadel and it was a bit of a walk, but Ventress was thrilled for the adventure of it all. She couldn’t consider the citadel home but, to be honest, it was more of a home than either her ship or Jakku had ever been.  And she relished having some time to explore it.

 

 

Finally, as she descended into the depths, she was greeted by a blast of hot air.  It seemed that the pools were carved out of some sort of obsidian material and fueled by waterfalls coming from elsewhere. The steam relaxed her and she continued to walk until she found a semi-private pool and disrobed.

 

 

Sinking into the water was absolute bliss. All of the aches and pains from the past few weeks just seemed to melt away. Her body felt limp and boneless and just floated in the water and she let her mind drift away into parts unknown. 

 

 

In this setting, meditation came easy and she could see the Force just as plain as day. She could feel the power of the Dark Side, the darkness that oozed through the citadel. She could see each of the remaining Knights of Ren and she could see Supreme Leader, in all his malevolent glory. 

 

 

But that wasn’t what interested her. Instead, she followed the violet thread she saw in her mind to its endpoint, to Kylo Ren. Now that she knew the truth, the power behind their love, their Force Bond, she could see the threads of the Force, of the Dark side, that bound them together.  She could see him now, surrounded by the Force, and his presence made her sigh with affection.  

 

 

Wondering what the harm was, she opened herself up to him more, inviting him to come into her, to bleed into her. _Share your pain with me. Share everything with me. Come to me, Kylo. I’m here for you._  


It took a few moments before he responded to her and they shared each other’s pain, their fears, and their desires.  She saw what the Supreme Leader had put him through to try to break him and his deepest darkest fear: losing her. 

 

 

She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised.  They had become one another’s greatest weakness over time, something Snoke had no problem reminding them about. Repeatedly.  

 

 

So his idea of breaking them often consisted of making them relive the business with Vader…only with a decidedly worse outcome.  But even that refused to make either of them break, as Ventress just turned her rage into the idea of losing Kylo into power and Kylo just outright killed Vader.  Snoke had been pleased.

 

 

She could sense his own exhaustion and weariness, plus that gnawing worry he always seemed to have over facing his former master, his uncle, in battle.  He worried that all their training might not be enough and she tried to soothe him by reminding him that they had several advantages, including youth and the power of their Force Bond. And then, deciding that perhaps it is best if he relaxed with her, she invited him to the hot springs. 

 

 

Perhaps some alone time was just what they needed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why yes, they ARE going to kill Luke!
> 
> ...stop looking at me like that.


	34. Unraveling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mother of God, this was a tough one to get out.

While Ventress Ren had once dreamed of oceans and islands and greenery, Kylo Ren had dreamed of deserts, abandoned AT-ATs and a sandy graveyard of the Empire. 

 

 

He had dreamed of a signature in the Force…of a girl just as lonely as he was, of his equal, of the one person who made him feel like he was not completely alone. The one thing that made all those years lost to Snoke all that less painful had been those dreams…and the hope that one day he would find that girl.  

 

 

And now, as he descended into the depths of the citadel, he could see the Force signature from those  dreams, its link to his own signature and he knew that at last…he was whole.  It was Ventress…she was the one he had been waiting for. 

 

 

A blast of hot air broke him out of his scattered thoughts and he then noticed that he was descending into a “room”.  The sound of rushing water could be heard and he found himself surrounded by polished obsidian, black as night.  The water, when it was still, was warm and inviting and the surface as polished as a mirror.  He wondered how long such a place had been there in the citadel, but then he heard a splash of water.  

 

 

He closed his eyes and focused his senses. He could see the thread of the Force that linked him to his beloved, but he couldn’t see her signature.  

 

 

Just then, he felt something behind him, carefully unwrapping his cowl.  Suddenly her voice spoke. “You must be roasting in all these heavy layers. Let’s get them off."

 

 

Ventress’ fingers were wet, but swift, well practiced in the art of unwrapping Kylo from his robes and she made short work of all the cloth. When she was finished, he found he was several degrees cooler and the steam was very refreshing.  “That’s much better,” he admitted.  

 

 

“Oh, I imagine…” She stood on her tiptoes and nipped his ear. “Come, sit down. You’re so sore. The water’s nice and warm.”  She led him to a semi-secluded area of the hot springs and instructed his tall body to sit down and she slid into the water beside him. 

 

 

The warm water made him feel nearly boneless and he just sighed with pleasure.  She was right. It was just what he needed after the training from hell he had put himself through.  All the aches and pains just seemed to float away.

 

 

“I want to tell you something….something important.”   He began, breaking their comfortable silence.  “I used to…I used to have these dreams."

 

 

“Dreams?”  Ventress climbed out of the pool and sat behind him, beginning to massage his shoulders.  “Like the ones you pulled out of my head?"

 

 

“Kind of…”  He groaned as she began to work the kinks out of his tense shoulders and back.  “…you dreamed of the ocean…but I, I dreamed of you."

 

 

“Me?"

 

 

“Mmm, yes. A lonely girl, like me. All alone in the graveyard of the Empire.  Someone I could call my equal. I know now that that girl was you and I was waiting for you."

 

 

They’d had this conversation many times in various ways over the years, but this was the first time he had told her he had dreamed of her in the same way she had dreamed of an ocean.  Her fingers trailed down his back, working through his knots expertly.  She wasn’t sure what to say for a moment. 

 

 

And then, a question.  “What were they like? Those dreams?"

 

 

“I saw a desert, the AT-AT you called home, I saw you, a lonely soul like me…and a signature in the Force. It kept me from despairing when Snoke was putting me through my paces. The thought of finding this girl. Someday.”  He sighed. “And now…here you are."

 

 

Silence fell again after that and then, as she was finishing, she asked the question she probably should have asked back on Dantooine.

 

 

“Why kill Skywalker? I mean, he’s your Uncle. Why kill him?"

 

 

“Because he wasn’t my father.”  He decided to unburden himself of a secret he’d been keeping for some time.  “And for a long time, I wanted him to be.  I wanted the powerful Jedi to be my father, because if he WAS my father…maybe then…maybe then he would have understood!”  Kylo bent his head and looked into the water, not noticing as Ventress slid in next to him.  “…Han Solo…was afraid of me."

 

 

“Afraid?” He almost never talked about his family, so she was curious as to why he was bringing this up now.  “Why would he be afraid of you?"

 

 

“He didn’t believe in the Force. Not even after spending time with Skywalker and Mother. He didn’t believe it. He didn’t understand why I could do what I do…what I meant when I said I heard voices in my dreams and saw shadows in them. Mother, she always understood…but she was so busy she…never really talked to me about it.  But I used to wonder how it would be if Skywalker was my father.  Maybe he would understand, maybe he could have protected me…but it was all for nothing. He didn’t understand me, either.  Instead, he put me under higher pressure. Perhaps it was to protect himself from accusations of nepotism …but it just made everything worse.”   He paused.  “It didn’t matter…I was never going to be good enough. Not for anybody. No matter what I did or how I did it, things would never change. Skywalker would be my uncle, and be distant, almost cold. Mother would have her politics, refusing to break even when people wanted her dead. And Han Solo..would never be there."

 

 

His eyes felt wet and his face hot.  Was he…was he crying? He hadn’t cried in a long time. He forgot what it felt like.  

 

 

“Kylo…Kylo, look at me.”  

 

 

 

He lifted his head, to show Ventress tear-filled eyes.   “All I wanted…was for someone to understand. I thought Skywalker would understand, that he would protect me, unlike Han Solo.  But he didn’t understand, and he didn’t protect me and even though he claimed to still see the good in his own father and saved him, he turned his back on me, claiming I was beyond help.  So, he abandoned me, too.”  He looked young now, young and scared.   “I shouldn’t be telling you this, my love."

 

 

 

“What is love without trust?” She asked.  “I love you. Trust me. Let me in."

 

 

Her thumbs gently brushed away his tears and he continued to talk, looking into eyes that took his breath away.  “I want him dead because he turned his back on me. He didn’t turn away from Grandfather even though Grandfather did things more terrible than I ever could do…and yet, he saw a lost cause when he looked at me.” His voice tightened.  “…so I want to show him what a lost cause truly looks like."

 

 

 

  
_I WANT REVENGE._  He was awful at hiding his emotions around her sometimes, and now was no exception.   

 

 

 

“Sometimes I wonder why you still follow me," he mused, talking more to himself.   

 

 

 

“Because I love you…and also because frankly, I decided to.”  She reminded him.  “Don’t you remember? You gave me a choice when you could have just killed me."

 

 

“I distinctly remember not wanting to kill you."

 

 

“That’s right, but you also could have simply abandoned me on that planet. Or done god knows what. But you still gave me a choice and I still chose you. And even after all we’ve done, all we’ve been through and all we’ve seen…I would still choose you."

 

 

“You mean that?"

 

 

She slid into his lap then, wrapping her arms around his neck.  “With everything I have.”  She rested her forehead against his.  “And you’re plenty good enough for me."

 

 

 

Hearing that he was worth something…and more importantly, hearing it from her meant more to him than even his own power.  He kissed her forehead, trying very hard not to start crying all over again.  “I’m sorry…” He murmured. “…I shouldn’t make you be everything to me. But hearing how you feel…and then feeling it for myself…you have no idea how much your love and acceptance means to me."

 

 

She smiled a little. “Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea."

 

 

 

She kissed him then, and there were no more words.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love doing these emotional chapters with Kylo and Ventress because while they are dark characters and have done really terrible things, they do love one another deeply and trust each other. Ventress has become the only person Kylo trusts with his deep dark secrets and I like having him open up to her.
> 
>  
> 
> So, this chapter has a headcanon I recently read and adopted about how Kylo wishes Luke was his father and not Han because at least Luke would have understood...would have protected him...and he resents the family he did get, which motivates him. 
> 
>  
> 
> Also, I love reading the comments and get giddy whenever someone writes something nice, so keep them coming!


	35. Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm going to be honest. This chapter contains some veiled references to abortion and I know this might not be everyone's cup of tea. If you're uncomfortable with that, you can skip the chapter. I won't hold that against you. 
> 
> There will be no descriptions of abortion in this chapter, however. The references are more to how I think Ventress and Kylo would react to a situation that for them, is life and death.
> 
> However, again, if any of the above makes you uncomfortable, you do not have to read this chapter.

_“You’re so lonely…so afraid to leave. At night…desperate to sleep…you’d imagine an ocean. I see it. I see the island…"_

 She was seeing it again. The island and the ocean from her dreams.  Only now, it seemed, time had changed those dreams. She was still seeing the island, the ocean, but now, she was seeing herself as she would have been had she not gone with Kylo, not become Ventress. 

 

 

_“Are you Luke Skywalker?"_

_The hooded figure before her stood silently before turning and revealing the face of a man who had seemed to be aged by a century.  He had a mechanical hand and a sad look in his eyes.  “I used to be."_

_She held out the lightsaber to him.  “Help me…please."_

_He looked sorrowful. “I can’t."_

_“Please,” she begged. “People need you. The galaxy needs you. General Organa…she just wants her brother back. I need your help. Please, Luke…help me. Help us."_

_“I cannot help you.” Luke turned from her.  “And I can never face Leia again.  Go. Forget this place. Forget you found me."_

_There was a sad finality to that statement and he then left her alone on the rocky cliff, seeming to turn his back on a galaxy that had desperately needed him.  She could only watch him go._

She blinked herself awake, trying not to let hot tears spill from her face. The taste of utter rejection burned her and only affirmed that following Kylo had been the right choice. 

This dream pained Ventress.  Part of her pitied Luke Skywalker, but the other part of her couldn’t believe that he would just turn away when people had once been so desperate for his help, for his return. Perhaps the galaxy was better off without the Jedi, without the light. 

 

 

She found it even harder to believe that this was the same Luke Skywalker who’d destroyed the Death Star and then redeemed his father.  What had happened to him to make him turn his back and just…run away from everything?

 

 

“I happened.”  Kylo was awake and he noticed Ventress was out of bed and staring out a window.  “It sounds so crazy, that I was the reason Skywalker ran away, but…"

 

 

Finally, she had to ask. “What happened?"

 

 

“Supreme Leader happened.” Kylo sighed.  The memories were painful.  “I told you, Han Solo, he was loving, well intentioned, but he was disappointing. He never believed in the Force. Never saw me as a son, more like something to be feared. Mother was different. She understood…but was so busy with politics and freedom and other things that she was not around much either.  But Supreme Leader, well, he was always there. At first, I was scared…but he nurtured me. He told me I was different, that I was _special…_  and that I could be great. Greater than mother, than Han Solo, than Skywalker, than everyone."

 

 

“He’s always been there?” The implications were more than a little troubling, but when she was about to prod further, he stopped her.

 

 

“I know how it sounds. But you must remember, my love, I was born into a powerful line with the ability to go either to the light or to the dark.  The light abandoned me. So I chose darkness.”  He didn’t look at her, instead choosing to look at the stars from their room in the citadel.  “The Supreme Leader, in his wisdom, saw that the light was no place for me. So, he whispered to me, helped me grow strong and then, one day, he told me I would know what had to be done."

 

 

 

Drawing on their Bond, she looked into his memories and saw the day he had managed to destroy all Luke had tried to build.  Some of it, she had seen before, in her dreams. Other parts were new to her. She saw fire, heard screaming and pleas for mercy.   Part of her knew this was what he had done, but the horror of it shocked her. 

 

 

  
_You see?_  Their minds were touching. _This is what I have done. These are the deeds of the man you love so much. And yet, you still love me._  


She then saw a very young Kylo Ren appear.  His hair was longer, and his skin less pale, but she recognized him.  He was holding a different lightsaber than his usual one. He looked full of rage, but still so lost.  

 

 

Then the memories changed and she saw him donning his helmet for the first time, abandoning his old identity and becoming Kylo Ren.

 

 

That was the first and only time she had ever heard his old name as spoken by him. .

 

 

_“I am Ben Solo no more."_

She chose to pull out of his mind then, unsteady on her feet. His pain, his anger…all of it she could feel and it overwhelmed her in the worst way.   “Ben…"

 

 

Hearing his name, a relic of his old life, shook him. It was the first time she had ever spoken his true name. “Do you want to know a secret?” He asked, deciding to calm her down.  “Sometimes, I dream about taking you and leaving all of this behind. All my life, I just wanted someone to pay attention to me and love me for who I was, not because I had some great power or was strong in the Force. And then, you came and oh, you changed everything and now, sometimes, all I can think about is just taking you and running away. We could go hide. Disappear."

 

 

“He would find us.” She told him. 

 

 

“I know, hence why it is just a dream.” He sighed.  “Sometimes, it feels like we have sold our souls to him. Hence the endless tests, all that time apart, all those conferences in which he peers into our souls and reminds us of our choices…” He didn’t regret the things he’d done (well, not all of them), but sometimes, he’d wished he had listened to his father and left Starkiller base.   “…and reminds us that he owns us.  This is a life I sometimes wish I had never chosen…and one I wish I had not forced you into."

 

 

“I  made my own choices.” She made him look at her.  “You should know that. You offered me a choice…and I chose to stay with you. That should mean something to you.”  Her fingers touched his face, gingerly running through his hair. “I told you before…even after all of this, I would still choose you.”  A pause. “I can’t imagine my life without you being a part of it."

 

 

He closed his eyes, her touch warm and comforting.  

 

 

 

And then, a vision came to him in flashes. He heard the booming voice of the Supreme Leader. He saw Ventress, illuminated by her lightsaber blade, hate in her eyes.  He then felt the piercing pain of the blade and knew…he knew what would someday come.  

 

 

She noticed the change in his expression.  “Kylo?"

 

 

He couldn’t bear the idea of seeing eyes that loved him so much full of hatred. He almost didn’t want to tell her.  He couldn’t tell her. She wouldn’t believe a word of it.

 

 

“Snoke will…someday…he will turn us against one another.”  He murmured, hesitant.  “And he will instruct you to prove your loyalty to him the only way you can…”  A flash of pain lanced through his heart. 

 

 

Her eyes widened with horror. “I can’t. I won’t!” She knew exactly what he was inferring.  “I won’t do it!"

 

 

“You must.” He looked at her, his own heart hurting. “If I am to die, I would much rather die at your hands than anyone else’s.” He brushed a tear away from her eyes.  “And you know as well as I…he won’t let you make the choice."

 

 

Suddenly, his father’s words came back to haunt him.   _“Snoke is using you for your power. When he gets what he wants, he’ll crush you. You know it’s true."_  


And then, he remembered something else, something else he felt in the Force; the only reason Snoke would have to get rid of him.  

 

 

…a child. 

 

 

Suddenly, the entirety of the vision clicked into place for him.  He saw it again, Ventress’ eyes illuminated in red, full of hate, the second signature he felt in her, Snoke whispering that Kylo didn’t love her or what they had created together. The sharp pain of her lightsaber piercing through his heart.

 

 

Suddenly, fear sank in, low and cold.  

 

 

If he and Ventress ever conceived a child, there was a chance the child could be more powerful than either of them…and there was no way Snoke would ever pass up the chance to steal that child away.

 

 

 

She was sensing his fear.  “Kylo, what’s wrong? What else did you see?"

 

 

 

“…you can’t become pregnant,”  he murmured. 

 

 

 

“What?"

 

 

“Do you remember what my father said to me about Supreme Leader? About how he is only using me for my power?"

 

 

“A little…” She’d barely been able to hear the conversation, but she remembered Han mentioning that when Snoke got what he wanted from Kylo, he would crush him.  And then, it hit her.  “You mean…"

 

 

“In my vision, you were pregnant. Not far along enough for you to be visible, but far along enough for me to be able to sense it. Our child has potential to be stronger in the Force than you and I or it could be powerless…but Supreme Leader wouldn’t take that chance. He’d kill me to make sure I couldn’t stray….and once you’ve served your purpose…he’d kill you, too.”  A pause and then his voice grew quieter. “I don’t…I don’t want to lose you.” 

 

 

 

His fear was bleeding into her, as was the worry and the pain. She could see everything now, see the vision for herself, and all she wanted to do was hold her lover and tell him it would be okay.  “It’s all right, my love. We can fix this. It’ll all be okay. And if it happens that I already AM pregnant, I can take care of it."

 

 

To be honest, Ventress had never really wanted children of her own. She didn’t really think she’d be a good parent, having no experience to draw from, and the idea of having a child with Kylo while they were both under Snoke’s heel was frankly horrifying.  Even with the chance that their baby could not be Force Sensitive, the risk was there. Snoke would take the baby away and kill them both.   

 

 

“Sometimes, I feel like I should have listened to Han Solo and left,” Kylo murmured. “I could still have had you, and we could be free to live our lives…and have the family we’ve always wanted."

 

 

“All I need is you,” She whispered.  “You are my family."

 

 

 

“I shouldn’t be asking this of you,” he told her. “It’s not my place to tell you what to do with your body. But…Ventress, the idea of losing you, of having our child being stolen from the cradle…it’s more than I can bear.” He wouldn’t wish his childhood of being haunted by Snoke’s whispers on anyone.  

 

 

She was surprised that he would think that she’d be angry with him for trying to not just protect her, but also himself from Snoke. “Don’t worry. I’m not upset with you. I know you’re coming to me out of love.”  She leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed his forehead. 

 

 

“Before we go find Skywalker…” he began. 

 

 

 

She silenced him.  “Don’t fret. I will take care of this.  Snoke won’t ruin us. I promise."


	36. I Won't Worry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so while the last chapter had veiled references to abortion, this chapter basically HAS abortion in it. There are no overt descriptions, but one does take place.
> 
> If this bothers you in any way, you can skip this chapter, too.

The next morning, Ventress summoned General Phasma to her private roomed and explained that she required a ship to transport her from the Citadel to Coursucant. And then, most tellingly, she asked Phasma to tell absolutely no one where they were going and why. 

In fact, it wasn’t until they were well on their way to Coruscant that Ventress felt safe enough to tell Phasma the truth.  “I fear I may be pregnant,” Ventress said, once she was sure they were alone.  “Am I to assume that such news is not a cause for joy?” Phasma asked. “No, it’s not. Any child I have with Kylo Ren has potential to be even more powerful than he or myself…and it’s a power that I know Supreme Leader will want for himself. I won’t give him that chance."“What do you think will happen?” Phasma had never seen the Mistress of the Knights of Ren so worried.“Kylo had a vision. It foretold his death at my hands, once Snoke had turned us on each other. I have no doubt that he would eliminate Kylo first and then, once the child is born, I will be next. I cannot…I will not let that happen. So, I must take precautions if necessary and do what must be done."“if it helps, I do know some doctors who will take care of this quickly and quietly,"  Phasma offered.“This must be done without anyone else in the First Order knowing about it. If word of this reaches Supreme Leader…"“But why tell me this, my lady?” Phasma asked. “Why are you trusting me?"“Because I can trust no one else.”  She looked at Phasma and sighed.  “I don’t want to lose Kylo or the child. In an ideal world, I would have both. In this world, I have to choose.”  A pause.  “My child will never be a slave to Snoke. I’d rather not have children at all if it that’s what it takes."

 

Once they had arrived on Couruscant, Phasma got in contact with her private contacts and Ventress was able to be seen quickly.

It was just as she’d feared.  “Lady Ventress, are you sure you do not want to consult with Lord Kylo before you go through with this? Or at least tell him of the news?” One of the attending doctors asked. “There’s no point in telling a Force Sensitive what he already knows.  And if I tell him, there is a risk Supreme Leader will find out. That is a risk I cannot take. Do what is required.”  She would not be talked out of it. “My lady…"General Phasma wasn’t going to let her mistress be disrespected in such a fashion. “Do what she asks voluntarily or do it at gun point.” She raised her weapon.  “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be."The Doctor found he couldn’t argue with “blaster logic”. 

 

When it was all said and done, Ventress retreated to Kylo’s private apartment to heal.  The ordeal left her drained, in more ways than one, having felt the loss of the connection with her child and she simply wanted time to be left alone. 

She knew she had been doing the right thing. No doubt that the baby would have grown up into a powerful Force sensitive, but without either her or Kylo there, it would also have grown up into a servant for Snoke to replace its “renegade” parents. The thought was almost too much for her to take. She wanted no such fate for her child. _If Snoke wants to use me, he will have to find another way. I will not be an incubator_ _for him nor for anyone else **.**_ She thought,  every word tinged with bitterness.Just as she rolled over to fall asleep, she felt Kylo's mind touch hers. _Are you alright, my love?_ _I took care of it. Our child will not be a slave to Snoke.  Not like us._ He sounded sad. _I'm sorry._

_Don't be. I have no regrets. Except..._

_What is it?_

_I would have liked to name her Padme. Oh, my love, she would have been beautiful. And powerful._

_We’ll have another chance. Someday. When Snoke is gone.  I promise._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, my heart hurts, too.


	37. A Spark of Rage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still dealing with some emotional fallout here. But don't worry, everyone. Snoke is going to get his!

When Ventress awoke from fitful dreams of being under Snoke’s boot and flashes of the vision she’d seen in her beloved’s head, she was surprised to find Kylo in bed with her, his arms wrapped tightly around her thin frame.   She was surprised to find him there. She wasn’t expecting him to make it all the way to Coruscant from the Unknown Regions. 

 

 

He didn’t awake when she did, so, she just buried herself into his chest and cried softly.  She shouldn’t be so upset.  It shouldn’t wear on her so.  But then again, when she thought about it, when she really, truly allowed herself to think about what had happened, she could feel one thing and one thing only: rage.

 

 

Pure, burning, white hot rage. 

 

 

From the moment Kylo had offered her a place at his side, she had made her own choices. She had chosen to follow him. She had chosen to follow the path of the Dark Side. She had chosen to become a Knight of Ren. She had chosen to give her heart and soul to Kylo Ren. She had chosen to become his wife. 

 

Everything she had done, even under orders from Supreme Leader, she had chosen to do.

 

 

But this…she had not been allowed to make her own choice. She had been forced into this because the alternative was something she just could not put up with.  And that made her burn with a rage that made her feel like she could destroy a planet. 

 

 

It reminded Rey of the years spent under the boot of Unkar Plutt, suffering beatings, indignities, starvation and near despair tinged with the hope that one day things would be better.  She thought she had left all of that behind, only to find herself under the boot of someone even more ruthless than Unkar Plutt (but thankfully, not nearly quite as lecherous). It was not how she pictured her life going, being a slave to someone else. 

 

 

Thinking of Jakku only just made her angrier. Admittedly, Snoke was nowhere near as tyrannical as Plutt had been and she’d at least not been starved half to death, leered at and free to come and go as she pleased. But she still felt like there was a chain around her throat, keeping her at Snoke’s feet as opposed to Plutt’s.

 

 

But then again, it didn’t compare to the nearly 2 decades of grinding petty indignities she’d had to suffer through under Plutt. Part of her enjoyed the fact that she’d stolen a ship out from under him (she saw it as payback from him stealing food from her).  She hated Snoke in the same fashion she had hated that deflated, perverted blowfish and she regretted that she had never made him pay for what he’d done to her.

 

 

 

“So much anger…” Came a sleepy mumble and Ventress nearly shoved Kylo off the bed in surprise. 

 

 

“You…you felt all of that?” A pause as she reconsidered the question.  “And when did you get here? HOW did you get here?"

 

 

“Some time ago.” Kylo replied, sitting up in bed to face her. “I sensed you needed me. So I came."

 

 

“You shouldn’t be here.” She murmured.  

 

 

He chose to ignore that.  “Are you okay?"

 

 

“No. But I will be.”  A deep sigh. “Sometimes I think I just traded one despot for another. At least the one I wound up getting wouldn’t dare think of selling me to pay off his debts."

 

 

She didn’t talk about Plutt in the same fashion that he never talked about his family, so the implication of those words horrified him.  “He wouldn’t…"

 

 

“He was going to, at some point. When I was old enough.” She untangled herself from him and stepped out of bed.  “I don’t…I don’t want to talk about it."

 

 

 

He decided to change the subject as she walked to the window and stared out at the city, at the passing transports.  “Do you want to talk about…"

 

 

 

“It was uncomplicated. The med droids did their work and the Force did the rest.  And it was early enough along that I wouldn’t have too many complications.  I just...I just need to heal."

 

 

 

“Let me help.”

 

 

 

“Kylo, this is one thing you can not fix.”  

 

 

 

“Are you so sure?”  Their minds touched and she was then introduced to a technique he rarely used: Force Healing.   It was how he had survived Starkiller Base, and the bowcaster shot.  “I cannot take away the pain this has caused, no matter how much I want to, but I can heal your body. Let me."

 

 

She was trying to figure out how this would work.  “You can do that?”

 

 

“I wouldn’t have survived Starkiller if I couldn’t.”  He brushed her tears away.  “Just open yourself to me. Let me in."

 

 

 

Figuring she had nothing else to lose, she closed her eyes and opened herself up fully to him.

 

 

Drawing on his connection to the Force, his Bond with Ventress and the love he felt for her and the love she felt for him, he began the process.  He poured himself into her through the Force, seeking out the wounds left behind.  He began to focus on healing the wounds, fixing things, and trying to soothe her worries and sadness.  He couldn’t fix the hurt in her heart or the deep sadness she was feeling, but he could fix her body.

 

 

The healing process was almost pleasant.  It reminded her of a warm bath and she immediately began to feel more whole.  She wasn’t sure what it was, but if she had to guess, it was the link between them and his power that was making her feel better.

 

 

When he was finished, he pulled away slowly, carefully.   He’d fixed all the physical damage left to her, but the emotional damage, well, that was something even he could not repair. 

 

 

“How do you feel, Ventress?” He asked. 

 

 

 

“Better.” She murmured.  “Whole.  It doesn’t hurt as much."

 

 

 

“I cannot fix the emotional pain.” He reminded her.  

 

 

“Oh, you don’t need to. I have a much better way of getting rid of that pain."

 


	38. Tinder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear I'll get back to wanton destruction and fluffy things after this chapter. Or whenever I get to murdering Luke. Whatever happens first.

By the time Ventress’ command shuttle left Niima Outpost on Jakku, the place was on fire. 

 

 

Kylo hadn’t gone with her, but he didn’t really need to. He preferred letting her work out her long simmering rage at her existence on this miserable planet on her own.  And also, he had come to hate that planet for no other reason than because she did. 

 

She’d told him of her utterly miserable existence on it, starved half to death, beaten and then leered at by Unkar Plutt and he’d been suitably angry, promising to give her all the power she needed to crush that perverted junk dealer into powder. 

 

 

Judging by the satisfaction she was feeling as she stepped back onto the ship, he surmised that she had done just that and was now feeling much better. She blazed with the beauty of a thousand suns, radiant in power and allure. 

 

 

“Feeling better?” He asked.  They had to get back to the citadel. 

 

 

“Much.” There was a sort of manic glee in her eyes. “I quite enjoyed choking him to death before leaving the place in ruins. Perhaps the First Order can run the place better."

 

 

“Perhaps,” he agreed.  He’d just thought of a particularly nasty punishment for Sidious and Grievous Ren.  “We must return to the citadel. We’ve been gone too long."

 

 

She was about to open her mouth and respond when they both felt something tugging at their minds.  Snoke was summoning them. 

 

 

Ventress steeled herself mentally.  “Let’s go,” she held out her hand for Kylo’s and they walked off to the audience chamber. 

 

 

 

 

 

Snoke was curious as to why Ventress had left the Citadel so suddenly when Skywalker still lived. 

 

 

“I had unfinished business on Jakku to take care of. Since the outpost is gone, I thought it would be wise to install our own agents in the place of Unkar Plutt."

 

 

“I see…” Snoke steepled his fingers.  “….and why did you feel the need to go yourself?"

 

 

Ventress thought back to the horrified look on Plutt’s face as she choked the life out of him.  “I thought it would be more effective to do it myself.”  A pause. “Do not fear, Supreme Leader. Skywalker will be dealt with soon enough…unless his old heart gives out on him."

 

 

“There’s something else…” Ventress suddenly felt the Supreme Leader rifling through her head, digging into places she didn’t want him to be. She kept kneeling, closing her eyes tightly. 

 

 

Kylo, a few feet away from her, wanted to reach out to her, but kept still, fearing what Snoke was going to find in their heads. 

 

 

 

“A child?”  Snoke mused.  “You were expecting a child, Lady Ventress?"

 

 

“It’s been taken care of. A child would sideline me.” She wasn’t wrong, but she knew that he knew the real reason.  “I thought it would be prudent to not have a child right now."

 

 

“A pity,”  Snoke remarked.  “A child between you and Kylo Ren would have great potential.”   A breathless pause and Snoke analyzed her.  “And don’t forget, either of you…I raised you both from hell and brought you both to glory. I can lower you just as quickly…and neither of you will like it when I do."

 

 

Fear seized Kylo’s heart. 

 

 

Snoke regards them both. “Don’t forget, my children. I own you. Both of you."

 

 

Ventress could almost feel the chain around her throat tighten. 

 

 

“We didn’t think you needed to know,” Kylo stepped in to try to relieve some of the pressure on his beloved. “No need to concern yourself with the messy details, Supreme Leader. The child is a non entity, nothing to worry about. And I am sure Lady Ventress has taken the proper precautions to avoid such a thing occurring again."

 

 

 

This seemed to put Snoke at ease.  “You are both dismissed,” he said, figuring nothing else needed to be said.

 

 

 

 

 

Ventress waited until they were out of the audience chamber before she nearly collapsed, saved from the ground only by Kylo’s embrace.  “It’s alright…” He soothed as he scooped her up in his arms.  “Did he hurt you?"

 

 

“It felt like it.” Snoke was never careful when he dug through minds. “I don’t know what he was looking for, but I know he saw why I really had it done…hence the threat and the reminder.”  She couldn’t shake the image of her and Kylo both chained at Snoke’s feet out of her head, nor the feeling of her chains choking her.  

 

 

Kylo had a nasty feeling that this was going to result in another forced separation as soon as Skywalker was dead and this was not a good time for such a thing. Ventress still needed him.  “You need to rest.” He murmured.  “I’m putting you to bed."

 

 

“No, no, I’m fine…” She struggled weakly to get out of his hold, but most of her energy had just been sapped by Snoke going through her head.  

 

 

“Hush.”  He kept her covered. The past few days had been very hard on her and she truly needed rest before they went after Skywalker.  “You need rest. Actual, restorative rest."

 

 

As he carried her off to her room on the upper decks, she found herself unable to argue. 

 

 

She falls asleep almost as soon as he puts her onto her bed, worn out from everything that had happened. He drapes a blanket over her, deciding to keep a watchful vigil while she rests.  As long as he breathed, no one or nothing was ever going to hurt her.

 

 

Not even Supreme Leader Snoke. 

 

 

“One day, my love.” He promises, kissing her hair. “There will be no strings on us and we’ll be free. One day…"

 

 

 

 


	39. Chained Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you hating Snoke yet? No? Well, let me give you a new reason to hate him!

 

Ventress awoke to a silent bedroom surrounded by stars. She wasn’t sure how she got there (Kylo had probably carried her) or when he had opened the windows for that view that she loved so much, but after the chaos of the last few days, the quiet was just what she needed. 

 

 

Her emotions were a complete storm. Between the joy she felt at finally giving Plutt what he’d deserved, the fury that Snoke would try to drive her and Kylo apart, the fear of losing Kylo to her own blade and the mix of joy and sorrow at learning she was pregnant but then having to end her pregnancy to protect herself, Kylo and the unborn child from Snoke’s puppet strings, she wasn’t sure what to feel anymore. The Force offered little guidance and for the first time in a long time, she wondered if she had truly made the right choice to go with Kylo Ren. 

 

 

And then, she felt the tugging on the back of her mind again.  

 

 

Supreme Leader was calling for her. 

 

 

 

Without Kylo Ren there, Ventress felt as though she would suffocate under the presence of Snoke. She could almost feel the chain he had around her throat tightening again and it was hard to breathe. 

 

 

“Child…” Snoke began, his voice filling the room.  “…do you know why you still live?"

 

 

“No, Supreme Leader."

 

 

“You live because you are valuable to our cause.” Snoke said.  

 

 

Part of her figured that part of her usefulness extended to her womb. “Am I, Supreme Leader? Or is it my uterus that is useful to you?"

 

 

If he was angry at that, he didn’t show it.  “Well, I would be lying if I said that a child between you and my finest pupil wouldn’t be a fountain of untapped potential and admittedly, I was looking forward to her arrival."

 

 

She wasn’t hearing this. She couldn’t believe her ears.  Snoke was planning to take her child away.

 

 

 

“But you are smarter than I give you credit for.” Snoke continued.  “You are correct. A child would keep you sidelined.”   

 

 

 

Suddenly, she felt something tighten around her neck and she began to pant and gasp. Pain lanced up through her spine and to the back of her skull. She felt herself being lifted clear into the air and hovering before Snoke’s face. 

 

 

 

“You live, _Rey_ , ” Snoke hisses, an inhuman sound,  “…because for some bizarre reason, my puppet loves you. You motivate him. Inspire him. Just like the rest of the Knights of Ren.  You live because I allow it. Because the moment you went into his head, he came running to me, telling me all about what you could do.  I didn’t expect the boy to fall in love with you, but perhaps I should have."

 

 

Ventress wanted to cry from the pain, but she couldn’t find the tears or the breath to do so. 

 

 

 

“Dear girl…” Snoke is tormenting her.  “Do you really think, either of you, that I will let you both go free? You sold your soul to me, Ventress and I stole his from the cradle. As long as I breathe, you are my servants and you will do as I say. Am I clear?"

 

 

She nodded and he set her down, letting her gasp for breath. 

 

 

 

“Remember your role. Know your place.” Snoke warns her.  “Or next time, you’re not leaving this chamber alive."

 

 

“You would…” She gasped.  What did she have to lose at this point? “…risk losing your precious puppet? You know if you killed me, you’d lose control of Kylo Ren. He would die for me just as surely as he would for you. And just as surely as he would for you, he would kill for me."

 

 

There is a long silence, broken only by her labored breathing. 

 

 

“Know your place, Ventress Ren.” Snoke warned as the hologram faded. “…know your place."

 

 

 

 

 


	40. Take Me Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We could all use a breather after that last chapter, yeah?

It is Phasma who finds Ventress collapsed and practically half dead outside the audience chamber. Realizing that calling for Kylo would probably be unwise, she personally carries the Knight of Ren all the way to the medical bay, thinking she needed medical attention.  

 

 

As it turned out Ventress did. Her body, worn out from the procedure, stress, travel and finally being choked at the hands of Snoke, had finally just given up the ghost, all but screaming for some rest.  It isn’t until Phasma was sure that Ventress was in capable hands that she contacted Kylo Ren. 

 

 

Kylo is down to the medical wing in a flash, wasting no time in yanking Phasma into an abandoned and quite place to speak with her.  

 

 

“Where did you find her?” He asked.

 

 

“She had collapsed outside of the audience chamber on the lower deck,” Phasma explained, taking off her helmet to speak to him.  “I think Supreme Leader summoned her for a private meeting."

 

 

If Kylo was surprised, he wasn’t showing it. His mask told Phasma nothing.  There was a pause. “General, do you know why she went to…"

 

 

“Of course I know. It was I who got her in contact with the doctors who did it.  She’s not the only woman out there who has needed to…” A pause.  She had to tread carefully. “…end a pregnancy.  She told me because she trusted me.”  She then raised an eyebrow. “You aren’t seriously thinking that I would betray Lady Ventress? She has been nothing but kind to me. My command of this ship and my rank is because of her. I would never betray her…or you."

 

 

He said nothing at first.  And then, his modulated voice seemed tinged with concern. “Did you hear anything in the audience chamber?"

 

 

She shook her head. “I’m sorry, my lord, but I heard nothing.” She looked at him curiously. “Am I to assume that we’re to head back to the Citadel?"

 

 

“Yes.” Kylo turned away. “We must."

 

 

 

 

Ventress did not wake up until they had reached the Citadel’s airspace and when she did, she was surprised to see Tyranus and Revan Ren by her beside.  She was about to ask for Kylo, when Tyranus grasped her hand.

 

 

“Oh, my lady, we were so worried!” Tyranus exclaimed. “You left the Citadel in such a hurry, and then Lord Kylo followed you and then we heard that something happened on Jakku and we feared something had befallen you!"

 

 

Ventress was very dazed, but she was happy to see both Revan and Tyranus.   She thought of them as her personal padawans, especially Tyranus.  

 

 

“It’s all right Tyranus,”  She murmured. “I’m all right."

 

 

“What happened, Lady Ventress?” Revan asked. 

 

 

“Nothing that concerns either of you,” She assured them. “I suppose I was just tired.”  A pause. “Where am I?"

 

 

“Back at the Citadel,” Revan said.  “You’ve been asleep for days, it seems."

 

 

“Where’s Kylo?”  She asked.  

 

 

“We don’t know, Lady Ventress,” Tryanus admitted after an uncomfortable pause.  “No one has seen him since the ship docked."

 

 

Alarm bells went off in her head at those words and she tried to get out of bed only for her body to nearly give out as she took a step.  

 

 

“Lady Ventress!” Tyranus helped her up.  “You shouldn’t be up."

 

 

She must have been far more tired than she thought, judging by the glimpse she saw of herself in a nearby reflective surface.  She looked white as a sheet, with slightly sunken eyes, and most alarmingly, a dark bruise around her throat. 

 

 

“Find him,” She instructed, brokering no more arguments.  “And bring him to me."

 

 

Revan and Tyranus looked at each other.   “Yes, Lady Ventress."

 

 

 

She waited until she was alone before she laid back in bed and tried to meditate. She sought out the Force for guidance, for advice…but mostly for Kylo’s signature. He was still breathing, as their bond hummed between them, but she was having a hard time tracking him down.

 

 

_Where are you? Come on, my love. Answer me._

She wasn’t used to him not answering her and she sank back into the bed with a heavy sigh. Her body felt heavy and sore. She blamed Snoke. 

 

 

 

 

As she was about to close her eyes, the door to her room slid open and in strode the ginger monster himself, General Hux.

 

 

“Lady Ventress,” He nodded his head.

 

 

She was too exhausted for formalities. “General."

 

 

“Kylo sent me to check on you,” Hux said, no doubt guessing that her next question was to ask why he was there. “And before you ask, you are still on your own ship, you’re at the Citadel, and yes, he’s alive."

 

 

“Then where is he?”  She asked. 

 

 

“…he asked me not to tell you…and then purposely didn’t tell me because he knew you’d go into my head,” Hux admitted after a long moment. 

 

 

This did not comfort Ventress in the slightest.  “General, I have had a very trying few days, so unless you have something important to tell me, I suggest you let me sleep."

 

 

 

“I’m in love with you."

 

 

THAT got her attention.  “WHAT?!"

 

 

“My lady, I know this is very improper and he’s probably going to cut my head off, but the other reason why I am here is not just because he sent me, but because I wanted to be here. I wanted to tell you how I felt just once."

 

 

Of all the things Hux could say to her, a love confession was the last thing she expected.  It was the last thing she NEEDED. But then again, when she thought back to it, Hux had never been nearly as hostile to her as he was to Kylo. In fact, while they’d been on the Finalizer, he’d been polite to her (with the exception of covert calling her a name, but he’d taken it back as soon as he saw her), almost kind.  And now, looking into eyes so blue they reminded her of ice, she could see his affection on full display. 

 

 

She wasn’t sure if she should be touched or worried.

 

 

 

He came to kneel by her bedside. “I know what happened in the audience chamber. I don’t want you to worry about it. If push comes to shove, I’ll protect you…both of you."

 

 

“General, I don’t think you understand…"

 

 

“My Lady, don’t presume that I don’t know the risks. I know what I have to lose. But you have brought Kylo Ren a joy that I envy and I would like to consider him a...friend. Even if I let my irritation at being under him show a little. You two have inspired a lot of people within the First Order. And some of us…would like Snoke to not destroy it. Because some of us…still believe in true love.” He took her hand in his own and actually kissed it.  “My Lady, I am asking you to trust me. Put your faith in me and I will do all I can to ensure it is not misplaced."

 

 

“Betray me and I’ll kill you."

 

 

He nods. “I won’t."

 

 

“Hux…” Ventress looked weary. “Why are you truly here?"

 

 

“I’m here to take you someplace where you will truly be safe.” 

 

 

“There is no place where I can escape from Snoke."

 

 

“Yes there is, “ Hux paused. “Dagobah."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Fun with Force Ghosts!


	41. Force Ghosts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whole lotta headcanons in this one, along with Clone Wars references, some Force ghost appearances (this was inspired by "Purest Place In The Galaxy"), and Ventress losing it.

If the Citadel is dripping with the Force, Dagobah is soaked in it.  The planet was swampy and desolate and Ventress, still worn down, had to wonder why she was even there.  Not only was the planet soaked in the Force, but it was the LIGHT side of the Force, something she had desperately tried to avoid. 

 

 

But then again, that was precisely why she was there. It was a perfect place to hide from Snoke long enough for her to recover. But she had never felt more alone than she did on this planet. Her connection to Kylo still lived, as did he, but he was not there.  

 

 

For the first time in a very long time, she was very, very scared.

 

 

“Kylo told me, explicitly, to bring you here.” Hux came to kneel before her as she sat on a log, covered in a blanket and looking out at a desolate expanse of swamp.  “And he was adamant that you not ask where he is."

 

 

She nodded, pulling the blanket tightly around her. “I understand."

 

 

 

 

It is night when she has her first “visitor”.  Said visitor is a rather tall man, unassuming, with long hair and a beard.  He had a sort of regalness about him, but a warmth Ventress finds comforting.

 

 

“So what do I call you?” He is a vision of the Force, this much she knows.  “Ventress or Rey?"

 

 

“Ventress will do,”  She tells him. “And what do I call you in return?"

 

 

“My name…” The vision says, “…is Qui Gon Jinn. I was the Jedi who found Anakin Skywalker."

 

 

“So you plucked him off Tatooine?” She was familiar with the story, but so many of the records of the old days were long gone.  “Did you train him?"

 

 

“No, but I wish I had.” Qui Gon comes to sit next to Rey, who has set up a camp for herself near a decrepit hut.  “Perhaps things would have been much different if I had. Not that Obi Wan didn’t do his best. But Anakin, well, Anakin is very much like his Grandson. They are more or less, very similar.”  He looked at her. “Why are you here, Ventress?"

 

 

“I’m hiding…" She says quietly.  “…from Supreme Leader Snoke."

 

 

“So you are questioning the path you chose?” Qui Gon asks.

 

 

She is reluctant to admit this, so she stays quiet.  

 

 

“It is normal to question our choices,” He tells her, deciding not to press her.  “Especially when we feel like our choices are not our own."

 

 

She opens her mouth to tell him the truth, but he is gone. 

 

 

 

 

It is the middle of the next afternoon when she is visited by another vision of the Force. This one waited until she was deep in meditation before making its presence known. 

 

 

Well, technically, it made its breathing known.

 

 

It’s the labored mechanical breathing she has heard in so many old records of the Empire and old holovids. It is the breathing that nearly killed her in the temple of the Skywalker cult.

 

 

It is the breathing of Darth Vader. 

 

 

“So…” The voice is distorted.  “…this is the woman my grandson fell in love with."

 

 

The sight that greeted her when she looked up was horrifying.   The lower body was definitely Vader’s suit, but the head was half helmet-half Anakin Skywalker.  The only saving grace was that the face wasn’t charred. 

 

 

“I am.” She says, trying not to show her fear.   “Do I call you Vader or do I call you Anakin?"

 

 

He doesn’t answer, so she decides to call him Anakin. 

 

 

“I’m glad you both are reconsidering your path…” Anakin says. “…by the time I did it, it was far too late for me."

 

 

“At the mention of Kylo Ren, she perked up a bit. “Is he…"

 

 

“…he is safe, just as your general told you. But he has veiled himself somehow and I, just like you, cannot find him.”  

 

 

“He’s not usually like this,” Ventress said.  “It’s rare when I can’t feel him or he cannot talk to me.” Her voice grew softer, more scared.  “I just…I just want to know where he is. Is he alright?"

 

 

“…is he safe?”  Anakin finishes. “Do you want to know what my greatest regret is, Ventress? It was that I didn’t think of Padme before myself. All I did, I did for her, but then I lost her and had no one, nothing to blame but myself.  You, and Kylo, you both think of one another before you think of yourselves. I envy that.” He looks at her and she is disturbed by the half and half face, but she supposes she understands it. The dual nature of the Force, of Anakin himself.   “And what you did to protect your child and yourself…that was a brave thing to do. I could never have asked that of Padme."

 

 

“I couldn’t bear the idea of being an…an..an incubator for Snoke! Of being told to murder the man I love! I wanted more for…for her. I didn’t want her to have a life…"

 

 

“…where she had sold her soul to a force more powerful and more wicked than she could comprehend,”  Anakin finished.  “I made the same mistake. So, it seems, did you. My grandson, on the other hand…well…he unfortunately, had no choice.  I’m sure he mentioned it…that Snoke was always there."

 

 

“It’s come up."

 

 

“See, Snoke wasn’t the only one who was always there. I was, too. But unfortunately, I wasn’t loud enough…wasn’t strong enough to save Kylo Ren…to save Ben."

 

 

“He doesn’t want to be called Ben, Anakin.”  She had felt that it would be a disservice to who Kylo was…who he wanted to be.

 

 

“Before he met you, he would talk to my helmet. He’d lament the call from the light. That call…that was me, trying desperately to keep my grandson from making the mistakes I did. But Snoke was much too loud, much too sinister…just like his student was."

 

 

“Snoke is…Snoke is Darth Plageius!?"

 

 

“He is.”  

 

 

Ventress felt like the planet was collapsing around her.  This explained so much: the citadel, how he named the Knights, his presence in the Force, how he could have watched Kylo…

 

 

“But how?"

 

 

“One of the great mysteries of the Force,” Anakin mused.  He chuckled, but it was a hollow sound. “…I will say this for my grandson…we have this habit of loving women too good for us."

 

 

She opened her mouth to respond, but he was gone, too. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She doesn’t see another vision until the next morning.  Her body is healing nicely, but she still cannot find or speak to Kylo. She could feel their link through their Bond, but it was like static.

 

 

Frustrated and sad, Ventress curled up into a ball and began to cry.  

 

 

She is then startled by the visage of an older gentleman, with white hair and distant eyes. He looks at her with an expression of pity and concern.   “Who are you?"

 

 

“My name…” he begins, “…is Obi-Wan Kenobi, but Luke…Luke called me Ben Kenobi."

 

 

“Ben?” She asks, floored. “You’re…you’re…"

 

 

“Luke wound up naming him because Leia and Han couldn’t decide on a name,” Obi-Wan says. “Although, I have to admit that I am rather annoyed that my namesake caused so much trouble, but then again, so did his grandfather…"

 

 

“Obi-Wan, is that any way to talk to a woman who is clearly distraught?” Anakin appeared again, but this time he was draped in old Jedi robes and not the horrifying visage from the previous day. “You must be more tactful."

 

 

“I…” Ventress rubbed her eyes. “…I can’t find him, Anakin. I can feel him, but he’s not reaching back to me. All I feel is static. I just want to know if he’s okay."

 

 

Obi-Wan knelt beside Ventress. “I’m sorry, my dear, but we don’t know any more than you do.”  A pause. 

 

 

“Obi-Wan, if you want to say she reminds you of Satine, just say so."

 

 

“Satine?” Ventress asked. “Who is she?"

 

 

“A duchess I was fond of.  if she had asked me to leave the Jedi Order, go away with her…I would have. Anakin is not the only one who loved a woman too good for him.”  Obi-Wan’s aged face held a rueful smile. “You don’t have to go back to the First Order you know. You could stay here. Learn about the Force. Come back to the light."

 

 

“It’s too late.” Ventress knew that if she did not return, it was going to be a death sentence. “I have made my choices. I have to deal with them."

 

 

“Snoke tried to kill you!” Anakin exclaimed. “And he would have killed you anyway if you had carried that child to term!"

 

 

“I know that…” But Ventress’ love for Kylo outweighed her desire to stay away from Snoke. “…but if I do not return to the Citadel, if I do not do what I was instructed to do, I will be punished. And you both know that Snoke will punish me in the most painful way he can."

 

 

She turns and heads back to her shelter, not wanting to talk to either of them anymore. It just hurt her far too much.

 

 

 

 

 

That night, Hux brings her back on board her ship. She is feeling much better, at least physically, but emotionally, her heart was aching.  Static still filled her Force Bond, pain filled her heart and so did a lingering despair that finally, finally, Snoke had either taken Kylo away or turned him against her.

 

 

Her mind is all over the place, tormented by “what ifs”.  She sees the daughter she could have had, with black hair, just like her father, powerful in the Force, but beautiful and kind.  She dreams of a life when she was still Rey and he was Ben. She dreams of a life she could have had with Hux (his confession had not helped her mental state in the slightest), and she kept envisioning him as Emperor of a glorious new empire with her by his side as his loyal and beautiful Empress. But then, through it all, the chains that Snoke has around her, tighten and tighten and cut off her air.

 

 

Finally, her mind can no longer take it and just shuts itself off. Ventress, worn, and weary, heartbroken and exhausted, collapses on the bridge of her ship to the horror of her officers. 

 

 

The last thing she hears before she blacks out is Kylo’s voice calling for her.  Or, at least, that’s what she tells herself. 

 

 


	42. Ebb & Flow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More fun with Force Ghosts and Hux is surprisingly tender.

“She needs you.” Despite being a Force ghost, Anakin Skywalker was determined to get through to his grandson, somehow. And if he had to wear the suit he had hated wearing, so be it.   “If you love that girl, then go to her. Stop hiding from her."

 

 

If Kylo heard Anakin, he showed no signs of it.  Typical. As much as Anakin loved his grandson, sometimes he wished he had a physical form so he could knock him into the next star system. Kylo HAD to sense Ventress’ distress and pain. And yet, instead of going to her the way Anakin would have done if it were Padme, Kylo stubbornly stayed in the ruins of Mustafar.

 

 

“Do you have any idea…” Anakin began, but he stopped, sighing deeply. It was no use.  Either Kylo couldn’t hear him or he didn’t WANT to hear him. “…I wish you knew how lucky you are to have someone who loves you still, even knowing all that you’ve done.  That girl…she loves you so much and it pains her so much that she cannot find you. Go back to her, Kylo Ren. Go back to her."

 

 

“I can’t. I can’t face her again. I almost got her killed.” A pause. “…she deserves better, deserves more than what I could ever give her."

 

 

“So, what, you’re going to let the ginger monster take her from you?"

 

 

“He can give her what I can’t: safety. Supreme Leader won’t hurt her if Hux is with her. He needs Hux to act as a figurehead…me, I am disposable."

 

 

“Not to her, you’re not.” Anakin sighed. “To her, you are everything. And she needs you."

 

 

Anakin was beginning to wonder just how stubborn Kylo Ren could be and how much more of this he could take.  

 

 

“You know, he’s a lot like you.” Obi-Wan chose that moment to materialize and just give Anakin a bigger headache.  “And now you have an idea of what you put me through."

 

“I’ve spent 30 years apologizing to you for that, Obi-Wan," Anakin replied.  “If only there was something more I could…” Suddenly, he had an idea. “…I can get her here."

 

 

“You’re not serious!” Obi-Wan waited until he was sure that Kylo Ren was off in a corner too busy brooding to listen to them. “She’s not emotionally ready to be here!"

 

 

“Ventress is stronger than most of us, including that bastard Snoke, give her credit for. And she’s often the only one who can knock sense into Kylo Ren. She’s desperate to find him. You heard her. You SAW her. If I could just break the veil a little bit to let her know where he is…"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ventress roused to the feeling of something cool and wet on her forehead. Emotionally and physically drained, she slowly opened her eyes and then her mouth to say something, only to be shushed.

 

“Hush now.” It was General Hux.  “You’re in the medbay. You need to rest."

 

“You’re a general,” She mumbled. “You shouldn’t be taking care of me. Leave it to the droids."

 

“Someone has to look after you,” Hux replied.  “Besides, Phasma has command of the Asajji, not me.”  A pause. “Say what you want about me, but I do try to keep my word. Kylo Ren asked me to take care of you.” He paused to instruct a droid to bring him some more water and another cloth for her. 

 

 

“…I can’t find him, still.” She murmured.  “…I just…I want to know where he is."

 

 

“I know you do.” Hux felt his heart, an organ he had long tried to keep at bay so he could do his work, ache for her.  How he longed to just take her away from everything to someplace where she’d be happy. “I wish I’d made him tell me…as opposed to what he actually DID….”  He then cut himself off abruptly, realizing he didn’t want to reveal what Kylo had told him to do.

 

 

She was quiet for a moment and then, he felt her in his head. It wasn’t…unpleasant, but he still didn’t want her in there, revealing his secrets...

 

 

“…he told you to marry me?"

 

 

“Well, not exactly. What he told me to do was keep you safe. He seems to harbor this delusion that you’d be safer with me than with him. But the truth is, I’m not anywhere near as powerful as he is. I don’t know if I can truly protect you."

 

 

“Because he believes himself disposable,” Ventress murmured. “Most of his fears revolve around the day when he is no longer of use to Snoke or to me.  He knows that I am not disposable, not like him. So, he figures that having you with me, having you to keep me safe, would ensure that I live, which is his heart’s most honest desire."

 

 

“I can’t fight like you,” Hux admits. “I don’t have the Force."

 

 

“And that is why he asked you,” Ventress replied. “Because you don’t."

 

 

  
_Ren, you stupid, dramatic, bastard, why do you leave me in these positions?_  Hux thought.  His heart ached. He could never take Ventress from Kylo. She loved him too much, was devoted to him. She would never just up and abandon her life with him. 

 

 

“And here I thought you didn’t like me, General,” she said, affixing him with an odd look.  “After all, you weren’t exactly friendly when we met."

 

 

“I didn’t like you…at least at first.  Remember, Starkiller was my…creation. You were helpful in its destruction and cost us the map to Skywalker. I wanted to hate you. But then I laid eyes on you…and I didn’t hate you so much. And it’s also hard to hate someone who is instrumental in bringing us to power.” 

 

 

She opened her mouth to say something else, but then, her entire expression changed and she bolted upright in bed.

 

 

“What?” It was the most animated she’d been in days.

 

 

“I can sense him!” Ventress’ eyes lit up. “I know where Kylo is!"


	43. Burn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY CRAP, did this chapter take a while. As Juulna will no doubt tell you, I had to scrap the original draft of this entirely and work on a new version because I was writing myself into a corner. Good god...
> 
> So, also, I may have subtly leaped on the Reylux bandwagon a bit, but it's still a Reylo story as Hux's love and desire for Rey (Ventress) is very one sided. 
> 
>  
> 
> Also, exposition chapter.

Mustafar looked like some barren hellscape from the depths of Ventress’ nightmares. The entire planet seemed to be a constant volcanic eruption, which made it ideal for mining.  Ventress just couldn’t believe this was where Kylo had been hiding. 

 

 

“Are you sure this is where he is?” Hux asked as they flew over abandoned facilities. It didn’t look like the place had been used in a very long time.  Not since the end of the Clone Wars, if he had to guess.  

 

 

“I’m positive.” Ventress had only been able to sense Kylo briefly, but the connection had been intense and strong enough for her to pinpoint him.   “He’s here."

 

 

“But why HERE?” Kylo never failed to confuse Hux. “Why would he be hiding here?"

 

 

“Because this is the place where Darth Vader was born."

 

 

 

 

 

 

The melted mask of Darth Vader had bore witness to many of Kylo Ren’s monologues and secrets. He considered it a diary, a relic that he could speak to. And now, it sat in silent council as Kylo tried very hard to convince himself to let his beloved go. 

 

 

“Ventress suffers because of me. Because I love her. Supreme Leader tortures her because he knows it hurts me and he is trying to drive me further to the darkness, away from her. I fear he will kill her. I have to stop him. I have to protect her."

 

The silence was not comforting. 

 

 

“I fear I am not powerful enough to keep her safe anymore.”  He rose from his seat and looked out the window of the facility he had holed himself up in.  A belch of lava flared, illuminating his face in red.  “How can I do it, grandfather? How can I hurt her to save her?"

 

 

But the idea of hurting Ventress was more than he could bear.  He could have driven her away by hurting her, by putting his hands on her, by breaking his promise, making her hate him, but he couldn’t.  Even if it was to save Ventress, and by extension, himself, hurting her would just bring more pain. 

 

 

“I would love nothing more than to take her away from all this, far away, to hide, to go somewhere where he cannot find us, but there is no place in this galaxy where the Supreme Leader has no reach. He will find us and he…he will not be pleased.” A pause.  “Perhaps it would be better if I never loved her at all."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Darth Vader was born…here?” They’d landed in a relatively safe place, but didn’t leave the ship.  Hux was baffled. “I didn’t think this place supported life."

 

 

“It’s in a technical sense. I learned this while combing the depths of the Emperor’s private archives. Not many people know that Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader were the same person. The few who did either died or went into exile.  However, Vader, as the suited nightmare that was feared throughout both the Empire and the Rebellion was born here.  Thanks to a failed duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi, he lost his limbs and his body was badly burned. And as such, the Vader we knew here was born.” Ventress looked at Hux. “Why do you think he wore that suit? It kept him alive."

 

“Fascinating.” Hux thought he had learned all that there was to learn about the Empire. He had no idea Palpatine had secret personal archives.  “I had no idea."

 

 

“Precious few did. I imagine the Emperor wanted it that way.” Ventress bent forward, resting her head against something.  She closed her eyes, trying to feel out where Kylo was.  “…I know he’s here, but I can’t find him now."

 

 

“I didn’t know you could do that.” Hux didn’t know much about the Force, but being around Ventress and Kylo had given him a quick education.  “I thought you’d always been able to sense him."

 

 

“It’s a very difficult technique to pull off.” She admitted. “I don’t know how he veiled himself nor how his control slipped long enough to let me find him, but that’s okay. I’m going to find him now."

 

 

“You shouldn’t.” Hux was trying not to let his feelings show as much as they were.  “It’s dangerous out there.”  There was a flare of lava outside of his window just to prove his point.  

 

 

“I didn’t come all this way to leave without him.” Ventress pressed some controls and lowered the ship’s ramp. “You stay here until I…"

 

 

Hoping to persuade her out of what he thought was a foolish trek through a dangerous planet, Hux waited until Ventress stood up before he pulled her to him for a kiss.  He was very thrilled she didn’t try to choke him afterwards, but instead looked at him as though he’d gone mad.

 

 

“Leave here with me.” He knew that if Kylo found out that Hux had not kept his word to keep Ventress safe, he was going to be drawn and quartered for his trouble.   “Don’t go looking for someone who clearly doesn’t want to be found.”  He was laying everything on the line. “I can offer you safety, security, a place by my side as my Empress when I achieve the height of power.  I will elevate you to heights even Supreme Leader can’t knock you down from."

 

 

“I can’t.”  Ventress couldn’t abandon the only love she knew, the man she had killed, fought and would die for.  “I can’t leave here without him.”  With that, she turned, donned her cloak and walked out into hellfire.


	44. The Knight's Knightmare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, this chapter was inspired by a Kylux fic called "there grows a tree in paradise", in which Kylo Ren is pregnant with the Space Lizard AntiChrist. It's just as weird as it sounds. 
> 
>  
> 
> This also will probably explain a lot of Kylo's motivations as to why he left.

_The second Snoke senses Ventress Ren is pregnant is the second he decides Kylo Ren is of no more use to him.  Kylo Ren is foolish, undecided, weak. Ventress, and by extension, her progeny, is not, so Snoke devises a plan to rid himself of Kylo._

_He turns Ventress on her lover, by invading her mind, planting secrets and lies, all the while hiding the plans he has in store for her._

_It ends messily, bloodily, with Kylo Ren crying behind his mask, begging her to come back before she shoves his unstable lightsaber in his heart. Once his body has been taken care of, Snoke sequesters Ventress in the Citadel._

_After all, if he is to breed her, he must make sure the first child, the first experiment, is alive and healthy._

_The child is born and Ventress names her Padme.  Snoke does not like the name, but decides to keep it._

_When Padme is old enough, but not so much that she can remember Ventress, Snoke incapacitates Ventress cruelly, before sequestering her so he can preform more of his insane experiments on her._

_Padme is raised and trained in the way that Snoke had desired to do to her father, while her mother becomes an incubator for Padme’s monstrous ‘half sister’._

_Padme does not ask about her parents when she is old enough to. Instead, she believes she has no mother and that Snoke is her father.  This suits Snoke just fine._

_She is strong in the Force, just as a Skywalker should be, and takes to her training as though she’d been waiting for it all her life._

_Meanwhile, Ventress gives birth to something older than the Force itself. It is unholy, it is terrifying and to Snoke, it is perfect._

_The first thing it does is try to devour its half sister, but Padme fights it off. She refuses to call that thing sister and tells her master, whom she refers to as “Father”, as much._

_Snoke decides not to force the idea._

_Padme and “Shmi”, as Snoke names her, grow up and then one day depose the Knights of Ren.  By now, Ventress has given rise to a new legion of dark side users, all female, and they are even more destructive and powerful than Snoke could have ever hoped for._

_And they bring about the end of everything…except the First Order._

 

 

Kylo jolted awake, covered in sweat beneath his heavy black robes. He nearly tore them off in his fear, shaking with nerves. Chest heaving, he shambled into a refresher room and practically drowned himself in a cold shower (little help on a planet like Mustafar).  

 

 

“It was just a dream…” He mumbled to himself, over and over. “…there’s no threat of that anymore."

 

 

He knew, privately, in his deepest heart of hearts, that he mourned the loss of his daughter, of the chance to be the father to her that he had never had. But he also could not bear the thought of losing everything, the way he had already lost so much, to the manipulations of Snoke. Snoke had already taken so much away from him. He couldn’t let him take Ventress away, too.

 

 

He knew what he had to do.

 

 

Hurt her. Hurt her to save her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'd like to imagine what Shmi looked like, please feel free to imagine a female identifying Eldritch Abomination.


	45. The Words of Revan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having a rough time emotionally, so I'm basically throwing myself into this story, which is why these chapters are coming so quickly. I need a distraction.
> 
> Also, as to what the specter of Darth Revan is doing on Mustafar? Exposition and someone's got to show Ventress where Kylo is hiding otherwise these chapters are going to go on forever.

Qui Gon meets Ventress when she begins exploring the abandoned mining facilities.  His brow is furrowed with concern. 

 

 

“You know, you shouldn’t be here."

 

 

“I know,” she says. “However, Kylo is here. I know it, I sensed him."

 

 

“He is here,” Qui Gon confirms. “The trouble is finding him. He does not like to stay in one place and I do not know where he is now. And where he picked up that cloaking technique…"

 

 

“Probably from Sith archives. The Emperor himself could do the same.”  

 

 

Qui Gon grew silent. “Yes…and he he was quite good at it. A shame not even Master Yoda could pin him until it was far too late for us all."

 

 

Ventress didn’t understand why all these old Jedi masters were talking to her.  “Why are you even here?"

 

 

“You could say I have a personal interest in the Skywalker line,” Qui Gon replied. “But mostly, because like my own apprentice, I was worried about you. Anakin is the reason you are here. I don’t know what he did to bring down Kylo Ren’s veil long enough to let you find him, but he wanted you here if only to knock some sense into the boy before he does something foolish.”  There was a long pause. “You know, the two of you, you don’t have to go back to the Order."

 

 

“You don’t understand, Qui Gon…” Ventress murmurs. “…we have no other options unless we want to be made examples out of. There is no “leaving” the First Order. Not alive, anyway."

 

 

Qui Gon vanishes after that and Ventress continues to traverse the mining facilities alone.

 

 

After a time, the heat began to take its toll on her, and she had to rest.  Taking shelter in a large, slightly cooled building, she closes her eyes until a strong presence in the Force rouses her.

 

 

Grabbing her lightsaber, she stands to face it, only to be faced with a very familiar mask.  

 

 

“So, this is the scavenger Kylo Ren chose.” The voice behind the mask was not so familiar.  “Interesting."

 

 

She’d had it with the Force ghosts at this point. “Who are you and what do you want?"

 

 

“My name is Darth Revan. I am here to help you."

 

 

 

 

Elsewhere, Kylo Ren’s head snapped up. A tremor in the Force, a tugging on his heart… It could mean one thing and one thing alone: Ventress had found him. 

 

 

“She’s here?” He rose from his mediation spot and went to some still functioning monitors, which beeped incessantly to tell him a ship had landed on one of the landing platforms. It was definitely a First Order ship, and Hux’s private one at that.  “She shouldn’t…I am going to kill General Hux. I told him EXPLICITLY…"

 

 

“If you think hurting her is going to save her from Snoke’s madness, Grandson, you’re wrong. In her own way, Ventress is strong. It would be wise to remember that.”  Anakin had taken on his half scarred, half not scarred appearance for this, ignoring that it was not the most pleasant one to look upon. “In the end, your pride will only hasten the pain.” There was a very long silence, before Anakin said “You should tell her about the dream."

 

 

“Tell her that I dreamed of her birthing something older than the universe itself?”  Kylo snapped.  “Are you mad?"

 

 

“Do you love that woman or not?” Anakin desperately wished for a corporeal form so he could strangle Kylo.  

 

 

“I am trying to spare her!"

 

 

“LYING TO HER WILL NOT HELP!”Anakin roared, his presence overwhelming everything in the room. “She loves you. She needs you. She followed you. And if you abandon her, she will go back to Snoke. And you know now what Snoke wanted her for. Is that what you want for Ventress?"

 

 

“Of course that’s not what I want for her."

 

 

“Then you know what you need to do. You want to finish what I began, yes? Kill him. Free yourself from his binding chains. Don’t wait until he puts you in a suit. Once he does that to you, and mark my words, he will, then you will never truly be free. You will long for death as I did…every single day for nearly 25 years."

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Darth Revan?” Ventress was holding out her lightsaber shakily.  “As in Revanchist, Revan the Butcher?"

 

 

“The Revan the Butcher one is a bit of an exaggeration, but yes, that is me.” Revan glows more black and red than blue.  “And you…oh, you look so much like my Bastila…"

 

 

“You sound like Revan Ren.” Ventress thinks back to Revan and Tyranus and worries a little about them. “He has told me the same."

 

 

“As he should…Revan is from my line, after all.”  The spectre chuckles.  “He is probably going to be the last of my line, sadly. It is a shame that he did not inherit any Force sensitivity, but from my understanding, neither did my son. But that saved them from the Jedi purge."

 

 

“Why are you here?"

 

 

“I am here to help you find your love. He’s had quite a tough time of it since…the child."

 

 

Ventress was slightly taken aback.  “He shouldn’t be. It didn’t involve him."

 

 

“Oh, but it did. You see, part of him was so excited by the idea of having a child, a family with you. He wanted so much to be a good father, to be to his child what Han Solo never was to him."

 

 

Kylo almost never talked about his parents to her, even after all the time they’d spent together. She wouldn’t have found out that Leia Organa was his mother if Snoke had not tasked Ventress with her assassination.  The knowledge that he had so desired for them to have their own family shook her. 

 

 

“But, Kylo, much like Darth Vader before him, has the ‘gift’ of prophecy, of dreams of the future. And unfortunately, when he tried to look into the future of his child, he was given a nightmare.” Revan figured that if Kylo wasn’t going to tell her himself, he would do it. Ventress had to know. She _deserved_  to know the truth.  “Of what Snoke really wanted you for."

 

 

She was getting a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.  “I’m not hearing this…I don’t want to know this…"

 

 

“You already guessed it. Why do you think he threatened you? Your parts are more valuable to him than you. But not to Kylo Ren. To him, you are everything. He feels that if he drives you away, that you will leave the Order and by extension him. Or, his other, slightly more insane plan was to have you marry that ginger who can actually keep you safe by virtue of the fact that he wants the seat of power. Snoke makes him Emperor and you have safety and security. After all, no one would dare touch the Empress of the First Order, not even Snoke.  But, sometimes, Kylo Ren is not smart. He needs you.” If Revan was looking at her, she couldn’t tell. 

 

 

“He…he needs me?"

 

 

“Quite badly, if his aura is to be believed. It’s part of why he’s cloaking himself. He doesn’t want you to know how much pain he’s in. That dream he has, the nightmare of you being used for nothing but to bring forth a legion of Dark Side users, it makes him ache. He despairs that he is not strong enough to protect you."

 

 

“I can protect myself, you know!” Ventress was almost offended by this. “I am not a damsel to be saved!"

 

 

Revan gestures to her throat, which is still dark with a bruise from Snoke’s grip.  “Can you?"

 

 

“Don’t patronize me!” Ventress shouts, angered. “I am not some delicate flower."

 

 

“Neither was Bastila,” Revan says. “But I still wanted to protect her, because I loved her so much. As does Kylo. As does Hux and even your Tyranus."

 

 

She looked at Revan for a long moment. 

 

 

“Follow me,” he says.  “I will take you to where that idiot is hiding."


	46. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...getting to this point took way longer than it needed to.

When Ventress appears in the facility Kylo has been hiding in, it causes him to nearly fall over in shock. He hadn’t been able to sense her presence and his incessant worrying had probably caused him to drop the veil he’d been putting up through the Force to hide from her. But there she was, illuminated by flames, looking exhausted and a little angry.  

 

 

“I…” he begins, but she is having none of it.

 

 

“You know…I have been bouncing around star systems, shuffled from place to place, and you…you just…you left! You left me! You didn’t even tell me where you were going or what you were doing! You docked the ship and then fucking disappeared!"

 

 

Figuring he had this rant coming, he decided to keep silent and let her yell at him.

 

 

“I needed you. DESPERATELY. I have spent days, if not weeks, searching you out, trying to find you. Do you have ANY idea what I’ve been through?! Snoke threatened to kill me!"

 

 

“I know."

 

 

She blinked. “You…you _knew?!"_  


“That’s…that’s why I left. I needed to think. I needed to think of a plan, of a way…of some way I could protect you. We can’t leave the Order, but I wanted…I wanted to make you hate me. I figured if you hated me, you’d leave and go someplace and be with someone who would keep you safe. Someone who could protect you. I fear…”  His mind flashed to the unholy thing he’d seen her give birth to in his nightmare.  “…I fear I am no longer strong enough to protect you."

 

 

 

Now that the veil was down, his emotions were on full display. She could feel everything now, his self-hatred at a perceived weakness, the sadness over the loss of the child they could have had, the fear of Snoke either driving her to turn on him or murdering her outright, and above all else, his overwhelming, almost crushing despair that he had trapped them both in a situation very similar to the one Anakin had faced when the suit had trapped him.  

 

 

“…I can protect myself,” she murmured. 

 

 

He looked at the dark ring around her throat.  “Can you?"

 

 

Something detached from the wall and nearly knocked him in the face.   “I am not some damsel in distress!” Ventress screamed, starting to throw things at him.  “I am not a delicate flower in need of protection! I survived alone, by myself just fine for twenty fucking years! I DON’T NEED YOU TO PROTECT ME!"

 

 

 

“She’s a stubborn one, isn’t she?” Revan, who had only reappeared when Ventress started screaming, mused.  “Very feisty."

 

 

“She reminds me of Padme.” Anakin agreed. “Although Padme was not nearly as proud as Ventress when it came time to admit she needed help and protection. And Ventress, whether she wants to admit this or not, does in fact need protection. Snoke is crafty."

 

 

 

Nearly getting knocked out cold by a piece of machinery wasn’t going to stop Kylo from trying his damnedest to try to make his beloved understand. He wasn’t entirely stupid. He knew she could protect herself and was more than capable.  “I KNOW THAT!” He yelled, almost immediately regretting raising his voice to her. “I KNOW that you can protect yourself, that you have protected yourself and I know that you are not a damsel in distress!"

 

 

“Then why do you insist upon…” Ventress began, but she fell silent when she saw something in his head that scared her.  It was “Shmi”, the thing from the depths of his nightmares.  She turned white.

 

 

“Because I love you…and because I don’t want to lose you.” Snoke had driven so much out of Kylo’s life. He’d caused him to lose everything most would consider important. He’d lost his family, his master, his home, his friends….all he had left besides his position was Ventress. And now, Snoke was threatening to take that from him as well.  “And because that is what you do when you love someone, even if they can take care of themselves….you want to protect them from all that can hurt them."

 

 

 

 

 

 

A long silence fell between them before Anakin’s specter spoke. “Tell her about the dream."

 

 

“What dream?” Ventress was confused.  “You had a dream? A vision?"

 

 

“It was more like a nightmare…tied into the one I had before you…before the child…” Kylo shot a nasty glare at his grandfather, but decided he might as well tell Ventress.  “Women always find out”, as his father would have said.   “Snoke wanted me for my power, but you…well…you actually figured it out for yourself, already didn’t you?"

 

 

She thought back to the remark she’d made to Snoke.  “ _Am I important to you, Supreme Leader? Or is it only my uterus that is of any importance?"_  


“Not only would he have taken our child away from us, raised it to fight, you would have been the mother of something far worse. He would have used you to bring forth something…terrifying.”  A fate Kylo felt would probably have befallen him if he had been born with the corresponding parts.  “The Force showed me. It told me what it was."

 

 

“And what would have become of you?"

 

 

Kylo looked away from her. “The same thing as before. I don’t live to see these events come to pass. I was of no more use to him by this point and as such was discarded.”   

 

 

She was now beginning to understand his fear.  “You…you’re afraid. Afraid of what you saw in the dream and therefore, fearful that you cannot stop it."

 

 

“I don’t want that fate for you. I don’t want you, you in all your beauty, your power, your glory and splendor to be reduced to an incubator. I know you can protect yourself, my love, but…"

 

 

She cut him off by walking over to him and flinging her arms around his lanky frame.  

 

 

Her embrace caught him off guard, but after so long without her touch and warmth, he welcomed it.   “I love you…” he repeated, stroking her hair.  “..I love you so much I would tear the universe to pieces if that’s what you want. All I wanted was to keep you safe."

 

 

“You should have just SAID that in the first place…” she muttered. “…as opposed to disappearing, leaving me behind and giving Hux stupid instructions."

 

 

He figured he kind of deserved that barb. He kissed the top of her head.  

 

 

 

“We should probably get out of here,” she said, wanting to just bury herself in his robes.  “Hux is waiting for us."

 

 

“You brought him here?"

 

 

“Well, actually…” she was more than a little sheepish.  “… _he_ brought _me_  here."


	47. In Which Hux Calls Kylo Ren Out At The Risk of His Own Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title says it all.

Hux had secretly hoped Ventress wouldn’t find Kylo, but the relief on her face made him smile a little, so he buried his feelings.  “Well, then Ren…” he says as Kylo and Ventress board the ship.  “…did you enjoy Mustafar?"

 

 

“I thought I told you to look after her, not bring her here.” Kylo glared at Hux. 

 

 

“She insisted on coming here herself. She was terribly worried that you’d gone and gotten yourself killed or injured.” Hux shrugged. “And now that you are done with your little journey of self discovery, I suggest we go back to the Citadel before Leader Snoke decides to make examples out of us. I don’t know about the two of you, but I don’t fancy seeing my head on a pike."

 

 

“You worry too much, General, “ Ventress rewards his patience with a light kiss to his cheek.  “And I should thank you."

 

 

“For what?"

 

 

“Bringing me here…I know you really didn’t want to.”  She ruffles his hair and sits down in the co-pilot seat, ignoring the fact that the man next to her is now even more scarlet than his hair. 

 

 

 

 

“How did she find you, anyway?” Hux asked once he was sure Ventress had fallen asleep. 

 

 

“Things happened,” Kylo says. “Things you probably wouldn’t understand."

 

 

Hux let that slide.  “You shouldn’t have left her."

 

 

“I thought she would be safer with you. She was SUPPOSED to be safer with you.”  Even though Kylo had taken to having his helmet off whenever he was around Phasma or Hux, Hux still wasn’t entirely used to Kylo’s face, especially when he was angry.  “I told you to look after her and to make sure she doesn’t follow me."

 

 

“Well, maybe you should have told her what was bothering you before you vanished into the Outer Rim!” Hux snapped.  “She isn’t stupid, you know and she was also worried sick over you, you know, BECAUSE SHE LOVES YOU.  She was going to look for you no matter what you told her and I wasn’t going to stand in her way.  You don’t stand in the way of Force users, this much I have learned.”  A pause. “Besides, your plan to make her leave you wasn’t going to work anyway. She could never and probably would never be happy with me, no matter what I offered her. "

 

 

Kylo looked at him.

 

 

“I offered her the chance to leave, as you so clearly didn’t want to be found and didn’t care about her feelings. I told her I could give her more than what you ever could. She refused, so I pulled back.”  Hux hadn’t let himself get mad at Kylo over this, but the more he thought about it, the angrier he got.  “If you did care about her and loved her, you should have talked to her about what was bothering you as opposed to, oh, I don’t know WALKING OUT ON HER. I don’t know WHY she puts up with you.  If it were me, I would have just let you burn to death on Mustafar and told Leader Snoke you’d decided to run off and kill yourself."

 

 

“You hate that she found me."

 

 

The ship nearly stalled. 

 

 

“You walked out on her. It’s a testament to how much she loves you that she even bothered to come looking for you.”  Hux put the ship into auto pilot and stormed into the back to find his cigarettes. “Again, if it were me, I would have just left you to rot."


	48. Undeserving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More of Hux's angst!
> 
> Maybe I should take pity on the guy in a side story. What say ye, readers?

Ventress awakes to find Hux in another part of their ship, angrily smoking.  She senses his irritation at Kylo, but decides not to question it.  Instead, she tries to let her presence calm him down.

 

 

“Did you mean it?” She asks. “When you said you wanted me to leave Mustafar with you and come back and be your empress? Did you mean any of that or where you just trying to stop me?"

 

 

“Of course I meant it.” Hux exhaled.  “I didn’t want you to go off onto some dangerous world for someone who clearly didn’t care enough about you to talk to you."

 

 

“Kylo is complicated, General."

 

 

“That may be…” Hux paused to take another drag off his cigarette.  “…but the fact remains that out of some misguided since of honor or duty or whatever, he chose to run as opposed to staying and fighting."

 

 

“There is no fighting Supreme Leader. You know this. I know this. Kylo, more than any of us, knows this.” She looked at Hux. “You shouldn’t fight him."

 

 

“He doesn’t deserve you.”  Hux snorted.  “After all, how can he claim to love you if he chose to hide when presented with a challenge?"

 

 

“It’s not that simple, General,” she says.  “Kylo had a vision that disturbed him. He needed to think."

 

 

“How can you be so forgiving of him?”

 

 

“Because I love him.” Ventress stroked Hux’s face then, smiling sadly at him.  

 

 

Something in the General’s black heart ached at the way she was looking at him.   _Kylo Ren doesn’t deserve her._  He thought. _And yet, I am far too weak to fight for her._ His eyes closed momentarily at the warmth of her skin.  He longed to be able to have her all to himself, but he buried those feelings again, realizing that if Snoke ever found out about them, well…he really didn’t want to think about the consequences. 

 

 

Hux had found, as he watched Ventress head to the cockpit, that he was very good at burying his feelings. 

 

 

After all, one didn’t become a First Order General with his eye on Emperor without burying one’s feelings along the way.


	49. Private Wars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I am going somewhere with this. I know I am going somewhere with this...

Kylo didn’t look up from the controls when Ventress entered the cockpit.  Instead, he let his presence wash over her like a gentle wave and smirked a little at the sigh she let out when she sat down across from him.  

 

 

After such a long time hearing nothing but static (and being bothered by visions in the Force), his presence was warm and comforting. But still, there were some things that bothered her.

 

 

“I wish you had just told me what was on your mind, Kylo.” She was thinking about what Hux had said.  “I don’t understand why you’re still so reluctant to open up to me about certain things."

 

 

“I wasn’t sure how to open up to you about this. About the dreams I’d had, the things I saw…about what I felt. I don’t always..know how to.”  This was hard for him to admit, but he figured that being under Snoke’s heel for so long had robbed him of a lot of things, the ability to be open with others among them.  “I was so afraid to lose you that I was desperate to try anything to keep it from happening…even if it meant driving you away."

 

 

She wasn’t sure if she should be touched or angry.  But then, she remembered another reason to be irritated at him. “You shouldn’t be messing with the General’s feelings."

 

 

“I wasn’t messing with them, I was trying to use them to my advantage."

 

 

“That’s not an excuse. The General is human, no matter what he tells you and he feels. He hurts. And you trying to force us together only hurts him AND it hurts me because it means you don’t respect HIS feelings and you think so little of me that you think  I would up and leave you at the drop of a hat."

 

 

“I would have thought a desire for self-preservation would have taken care of any feelings you held for me.” Kylo reasoned. He was aware she was looking at him funny.  “The General wants the seat of power. He wants to be Emperor Hux, not just General Hux. He needs a capable, powerful woman at his side…and I can think of no woman in this galaxy more capable than you.” 

 

 

“Kylo…"

 

 

“If you’d gone with him, he would have been able to protect you. Leader Snoke wouldn’t dare touch you, not when you, as Empress, would be so visible and high profile that he couldn’t mess with you without someone finding out about it. You’d be safe from his machinations."

 

 

“But away from you."

 

 

“A small price to pay, when the General so clearly adores you.” Kylo replies.  “You would be away from me, but no less loved."

 

 

“Kylo…"

 

 

“I love you too much to want to lose you to Snoke…even if it means giving you up."

 

 

Ventress wasn’t sure how to feel about this. She had never once doubted Kylo’s love and affection. It was as boundless as the stars, and his desire to keep her safe just as strong. But when she reached into his mind, saw his fear and the recurring images of his nightmare.   She bites her lip and then, out of nowhere, slaps him. 

 

 

 

He stared at her and then she slapped him again.  

 

 

“Don’t say such stupid things!” Ventress spat.  “If you think I’m just going to leave you, after all we’ve been through, after all we’ve done, then you’re the one who’s lost his damn mind! I don’t care what that nightmare showed you. You and I, we made a promise, remember? To never leave each other. And I’m sticking to that promise."

 

 

“Together…” He murmured, the memory of that promise surfacing.

 

 

She took his hand and then leaned in for a kiss.  “…or not at all."


	50. Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I have either written myself into a corner or I just do not know what to do with this fic anymore. *sighs* Anyway, have a breather chapter.

When Ventress and Kylo return to the Citadel, they decide to throw themselves into their training to defeat Luke Skywalker. It was almost therapeutic, at least for Ventress. She took her fury at Snoke, at the universe and most of all, at Skywalker himself out on just about everything she could get her hands on that wasn’t walking, talking or breathing. 

 

 

She spent hours in one of her private training rooms, hacking away at training dummies, droids and whatever else the Knights of Ren could throw at her.   Her anger made her stronger, without question, but it also scared some of the Knights.  

 

 

Finally, after about a week, Tyranus got up the courage to confront his mistress, worried about her mental state.

 

 

“Lady Ventress…” Tyranus stood in the door of the training room, watching as she took apart a droid with a lightsaber, almost fascinated by the way she moved.  “…may I speak with you?"

 

 

“You may.” Ventress turned off her lightsaber.  “Come in, Tyranus."

 

 

“We are worried about you.” Tyranus chose his words carefully.  “You haven’t really spoken to us since you returned. Did… Did something happen between you and Lord Kylo?"

 

 

“You’re worried about me?” 

 

 

“You’ve been training nonstop. I’m just concerned, because you may wear yourself out. You may have the Force, but you are not invincible.” Tyranus took his mask off, revealing a man who looked only slightly younger than Ventress himself.   “Tell me, my lady, what happened?"

 

 

“If I don’t kill Skywalker…” Ventress began.  “…if I fail to live up to the expectations Leader Snoke has for me…he is either going to turn us on one another or worse. I want to prove that I am still useful, that I am more than just…” She refused to finish that statement.  “I want to prove that I am strong."

 

 

“But my Lady…” Tyranus began, unsure of what else he could say. “…you already are."

 

 

This gave her pause.  

 

 

“Is this being about being strong enough to take on Luke Skywalker…or strong enough to take down Supreme Leader?"

 

 

The question cut straight through to Ventress’ core.  Straightening herself up to her full height, she walked across the room and looked her subordinate in the face.  “When the only valuable part of you is your uterus, you will understand.”  A pause. “I will not be an incubator. Not for him or for anyone else. I will control my own destiny.” Her lightsaber ignited and she proceeded to turn, break into a run and ram it through a training dummy.  “ME! NO ONE ELSE!"

 

 

 

“My Lady…"

 

 

“I grew up being a slave to Unkar Plutt. I will not end my days being a slave to Supreme Leader Snoke.”  


	51. Passion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now celebrating 50 official chapters!
> 
> Kill me.

The last thing Ventress expected to see in her room after a training session was Kylo Ren on her bed, half dressed and apparently expecting her.  But there he was, in that awful top and suspender combination that he insisted allowed him better freedom of movement, and not much else. The rest of his clothing was on a nearby table.  

 

 

At the sight of him, Ventress almost walked out the door.

 

 

“Please stop avoiding me,” he pleads, getting up to try to stop her. “Ventress…"

 

 

“I don’t want to talk to you."

 

 

“But I want to talk to you, please…just…listen. Hear me out, and then you can leave. I promise."

 

 

 

“I don’t know why I should even bother to listen to a man who instead of telling me about his bad dreams, about the threats, chose instead to walk out."

 

 

“I was going to come back."

 

 

“When? When you got around to it?” Ventress was hurt, still and deeply so.  “And then I had to hear from your grandfather about that…about that dream!"

 

 

“I didn’t want to scare you."

 

 

“What is it with you people and thinking you know what’s best?! Why is it that I cannot be trusted to know what’s going on! I’m not entirely stupid!” She was in the middle of her next sentence when she felt his mind reach out for hers and show her, in horrific detail, just what had frightened him so much.  

 

 

She stared at him for a long moment and then, very quietly, “What was that?"

 

 

“Something older than the Force,” he tells her. “Older than the Jedi, older than the Sith, and what Supreme Leader wanted you for: a strong, healthy person, powerful enough in the Force to bring forth not just…her, but many more like her.  He will use you and discard you and I wanted…I just…I don’t want that for you and I know you well enough to know you wouldn’t want that either.”  He picked up his cloak and got off the bed.  “I’m sorry, Ventress.  I was…misguided. I believed if I hurt you enough, if I made you hate me, that you’d leave and if you left, that you’d be safe."

 

 

 

She could feel his emotions unraveling, twisting, unstable. He felt lost, confused, hurt and he was unsure what he could say. But under all of that, she felt his love, boundless and infinite.

 

 

“Kylo…” she murmured, stepping closer to the bed.

 

 

“What?” he began to ask, only to be silenced when she finally kissed him.

 

 

Smiling against his lips, she murmured, “I love you, too.”  And then in the next movement, she began to slip his suspenders off.   

 

 

“Wait…can you…are you…"

 

 

“It’s been long enough. I’m ready.”  She then shoved him on the bed and crawled over him.  “And I want this.”  In the next movement or two, she managed to rip his top off and press her lips to his.  

 

 

His hands began the task of disrobing her and the touches of his fingers made her sigh with pleasure.  How long had it been since he’d touched her like this?

 

 

 

After a while, words were forgotten and so were clothes. 

 

 

 

It had been too long since they last made love.  Ventress had needed to heal from the procedure, and then they’d separated and then, when they came together again, she finally felt whole once more. And it felt wonderful. 

 

 

 

In the warm afterglow, she curled up beside his body, happy and sated. She put her head on his chest and sighed happily.  “I feel whole again.” she murmured. “Complete."

 

 

 

“As do I.” he mused. “I never thought I would ever feel like this with anyone. I thought, always, that I would be alone."

 

 

She fingered his dark hair and looked into dark eyes that had seen too much, done too much and knew a lot. But beneath the pain she could see, was love. It surrounded him and her, flowing like water. And after all that time away from him, surrounded by doubt and fear, feeling that love and affection made her feel like she could do anything…even tear a planet apart. 

 

 

“If we could stay like this always…” she murmured.  “Together…entwined. Without a worry or care in the whole galaxy, I could die happy. Heck, if I died tomorrow, I would die a happy death…because I had you."

 

 

“I don’t think there is such a thing as a happy death.” 

 

 

 

“Perhaps not, but…” her voice trailed off as her mind drifted somewhere else.  “…either way…I’d still be happy because I had you and loved you."

 

 

 

He kissed her forehead with unexpected tenderness, but she’d grown used to seeing his softer side. She liked it; it was like a private piece of him she got to have all to herself.   

 

 

 

“When you were away, I had a dream,” she began, voice quiet.  “I dreamt of…"

 

 

“..her.” He finished. “Of Padme."

 

 

“Well, yes, of her, but also of us.” A pause. “Of a life when you were…Ben and I was Rey and we had Padme. There was no First Order, no Resistance, nothing…just us and our child. And we were happy."

 

 

“The kind of life you and I never had, you mean.” A sigh. 

 

 

“Revan…Darth Revan, he told me you were excited for Padme, that you wanted to be a good father to her.”  Ventress reached out to Kylo’s mind and found it was all true.  She could see so many of his hopes, of the urge to be to their child what Han Solo had never been to him. “Sometimes I wonder, what it would have been like if we’d had her and just…disappeared. Gone to the Outer Rims, raised her in secret. Taken back our old names…"

 

 

 

“A beautiful dream, my love…” Her wistful tone made his heart clench and ache.  “…but one we cannot pursue until our work is done."

 

 

 

“Well, then…” Ventress mused. “…it seems as though you and I have unfinished business then, don’t we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I think people honest to God do not like this story. I wonder why the hell I'm even still writing it. Like, if you went on Tumblr and asked people for the best fics for this ship, I don't think mine even registers. I despair.


	52. The Murder of A Skywalker, Part One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys have no idea how much your kind comments and support means to me. Reading all those lovely comments after I wrote the last chapter filled me with joy and a determination to see this through.
> 
> I don't always respond, but please know that I read and cherish every single comment and that those comments mean more to me than anything else. 
> 
>  
> 
> I love you all. Thank you.

General Phasma placed a mug of something steaming hot in front of Ventress as Ventress sat in one of the map rooms, gazing up at an illuminated star chart. 

 

 

“You really think he’s there?” Phasma sat down, watching Ventress study the charts.  “On Ahch-To?"

 

 

“It’s the last place he was rumored to be and he wants to stay hidden.” Ventress took a long sip of the beverage.  “And it’s where the map we recovered all those years ago leads us to. He has to be there. He MUST be there."

 

 

“And if he is not there?"

 

 

Ventress almost slammed the mug down. “We keep looking."

 

 

Phasma had learned how to read Ventress well over the years.  “You’re angry with him."

 

 

“More like disgusted. I found out that it was Luke Skywalker’s love that drew his father back from the Dark Side. Luke never gave up on his father…and yet he gave up on his nephew. He turned his back on my beloved…and I want him to know the pain that decision caused."

 

 

Phasma had always been fascinated by how in tune Ventress and Kylo were with one another. They seemed to read each other’s thoughts and feelings.  “It hurt him, didn’t it?"

 

 

“Even more than his father’s rejection.”  Ventress pushed a button and the map stolen from the resistance base on Yavin IV came up, pointing to the last known location of Luke Skywalker.   “You don’t hurt my darling and expect to get away with it."

 

 

“If the rumors are true, Luke Skywalker is a very powerful Jedi, my friend. In fact, he’s the last Jedi.” Phasma knew that Ventress knew all of this, but it bore repeating.  “You should take Kylo with you."

 

 

 

“No. This is something I must do myself."

 

 

 

“He’d want to be there with you.” 

 

 

 

Ventress took another long sip before turning her gaze back to the navigational chart. “Ordinarily, yes, he would. He would be right there, beside me…gloating. But this…I fear he may lose his nerve when confronted by Luke. Hence why I am going alone."

 

 

 

 

 

“I should be coming with you.”  Kylo watched with no end of fascination as Ventress dressed herself in her robes. In the intervening years, she’d taken to wearing something a little more form fitting than what she’d once worn on Jakku, which allowed her freedom of movement, but also accentuated every single curve and line on her body.  It gave her an air of deadly beauty, especially when she put her mask on, which kept her eyes, dark as night, but bright as dawn, uncovered.  Just watching her get dressed made him sigh with pleasure.  “You shouldn’t face Skywalker alone. You need me there with you."

 

 

“Having you there will only make things more dangerous than they have to be.” Ventress reasoned.  “He is expecting me. He has been for a very long time."

 

 

 

It was only as she was pulling her hood over her head that she noticed the way he was looking at her.  His eyes were dark, intense, and full of barely contained desire. Dressed in black, he made a powerful, terrifying and yet very arousing picture.

 

 

“If you want to ravish me, my darling, you’re going to have to wait until I return,” she says, hoping to cut him off before she loses her nerve. “When I return victorious, then you can have me all to yourself, morning, noon, and night."

 

 

“It should be me doing this.” Kylo tried not to think too hard about her previous statement. His robes were already uncomfortable enough without the threat of arousal.  “It was me he failed."

 

 

“Luke Skywalker is a coward.” Ventress spat, her arousal turning quickly to anger. “He turned his back on the galaxy when it cried out for his return, and then on his own flesh and blood when said flesh and blood desperately needed him.  I find it insulting that he didn’t give up on his father but yet…he gave up on you.  He doesn’t deserve the glory and power of your presence.”  A small smirk curled at the corner of her eyes.  “Although, in truth, I should be thanking him. He did bring us together after all…in a roundabout way."

 

 

 

 

The journey to Ahch-To was a long, lonely one. Ventress had elected to travel alone, in her own private ship. Tucked away in the folds of her robes was the lightsaber she had taken from Maz Kanata’s castle. She wasn’t sure why she had brought it with her. 

 

 

Once upon a time, that saber had called to her. The light had once called to her…and now, there was only darkness.

 

 

And she loved every single bit of it.


	53. The Murder of A Skywalker, Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title says it all. Bring on the pitchforks.

_“You’re so lonely…so afraid to leave. At night, desperate to sleep…you’d imagine an ocean. I see it. I see the island…"_

Back then, strapped to the chair, Ventress hadn’t known that what Kylo had seen in her head was exactly what he had been looking for.  But now, as her ship circled the desolate landscape of Ahch-To, she could see it for herself.  

 

 

A lonely island, surrounded by an ocean. She’d seen this before, in her dreams, in her visions.  This was where Luke Skywalker had been hiding all this time.

 

 

And this was where Luke Skywalker would meet his end.

 

 

 

When she reached the ruins of the Jedi temple, he was there, waiting for her, a lonely figure, draped in grey.  He was facing the water, but before she had a chance to speak, he spoke.

 

 

“I’ve been waiting for you."

 

 

“I’m sure you have,” Ventress replied, pulling out his lightsaber.  “And I imagine that you’d want this back."

 

 

“I didn’t want to believe it. That you, you had turned.” Luke speaks softly, ignoring the offered saber. “That he found you before I did."

 

 

“Then maybe you shouldn’t have just waited for me.”  Ventress pulled her hood off to reveal her masked visage. She let the saber fall to the ground. Her eyes, which she always kept uncovered, burned with hatred and anger.  “And then, perhaps, you shouldn’t have abandoned Kylo Ren to Supreme Leader Snoke."

 

 

“There was nothing I could do for him."

 

 

“Bullshit.” She spat. “You saved your father and yet, you were so afraid of the Dark Side in Kylo that you abandoned him to Supreme Leader Snoke. He needed you, he needed your help.  But alas, like his father, who at least had the excuse of not understanding his son, you turned on him. I wonder if you know how much that hurt him…and how much he hates you for it."

 

 

 

“I didn’t want to make him hate me."

 

 

“Well, that’s what happened, but don’t worry. I don’t hate you as much as I pity you.” Ventress sighed.  “It’s just a shame that the Jedi have to die out. You can’t have Sith without them…or, well…perhaps you can.”  

 

 

Luke said nothing, even as Ventress ignited her lightsaber.  

 

 

“Do you want me to fight you?” he asks.

 

 

“No pleas for mercy? No drawing of your own weapon?” she replies.  “Come now, Luke Skywalker…is this how you want to meet your end?"

 

 

He looked at her for a long moment and then, like Obi-Wan Kenobi before him, he accepted his fate with closed eyes.

 

 

“He sent you,”  Luke murmured. “Kylo Ren sent you to kill me, didn’t he? Just like he did to Leia."

 

 

“And so what if he did?"

 

 

“Then Ben Solo is truly dead."

 

 

 

Ventress turned off her saber. “No."

 

 

His eyes opened. “No?"

 

 

 

“You know, I trained to the point of exhausting myself in the hopes that you’d give me something remotely resembling a fight. I didn’t think you’d go out like this."

 

 

“You are having second thoughts?"

 

 

 

Ventress thought back to Leia. She remembered the way Leia had looked at her: with pity.  She hated that look.  “Stop looking at me like that. Don’t you pity me!"

 

 

“It’s not too late for you, Rey,”  Luke says.  “You can come back. Stay with me. Don’t be seduced by the Dark Side."

 

 

 

At the sound of her old name, her nostrils flared.  “Do not call me that. My name is not Rey. Rey died in a cave on Lorthal when she realized that she could never be that person again. When I realized the right path to follow."

 

 

“The Dark Side can offer you nothing but pain. It feeds off your pain, your despair. It’s a dangerous path."

 

 

 

She found it kind of insulting that he was trying to talk her out of her choice YEARS after the fact. “And what has the light ever offered me?” she shot back.  “If I was so powerful, so desired, why was I abandoned on a junk planet! WHY WAS I LEFT ALONE?"

 

 

“I do not have those answers for you,” he admits.  “But I know what it’s like…to be abandoned and alone and to feel unloved."

 

 

“No you don’t,” she murmured, anger rising. How dare he! HOW DARE HE!   “You don’t even have the slightest clue as to how that feels. Why don’t you ask your nephew? I’m sure he knows." 

 

 

“The grip Snoke had on him was too strong, even for me. There was no breaking him out of it."

 

 

She found his hypocrisy astounding.   “You didn’t say that about your father."

 

 

“That was different,"

 

 

Hearing that made something in her snap.   “No. No it wasn’t."

 

 

And then her saber ignited. 

 

 

 

Kylo Ren was waiting for Ventress when her shuttle finally touched down in the hanger bay of the Citadel. He could sense her satisfaction and pride and could barely help his smile when he saw her back clad figure disembark. 

 

 

“I come bearing a gift,” she says, just as he notices that she’s holding something in her hands.  It’s a bundle wrapped in black and she peels back the layers to reveal a silver and gold lightsaber…in fact, it was one he recognized.

 

 

“Is that…"

 

 

“Proof of my victory,” she beamed.  “Luke Skywalker is dead."


	54. The Edge of Glory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI: The previous chapter was re-written and reuploaded because I hated the original one. Read that before reading this.
> 
>  
> 
> Also, as to why this chapter took so long, well, I've been having some problems...

Ventress awoke in Kylo’s arms, blinking away sleep, feeling warm and safe.  Her mind was a bit of a whirl, the reality of what she had done settling in. She refused to let her doubts cloud her vision, but her mind kept flashing back to the look of terror in Luke’s eyes. He’d been afraid of her…and she liked the way that felt.

 

 

It made her feel powerful. She felt like she could conquer the galaxy on that kind of high.  Smirking to herself, she extracted herself from his warm embrace, wrapped herself in a sheet and climbed out of bed to the center of their room. Willing the Force to open the shades, she found herself surrounded by a sky full of stars and planets. She could see nothing but celestial beauty for as far as the eyes could see.

 

 

 

“It’ll be mine…” she murmured. “It will all be mine.”  A pause. “No…” She turned around to look at Kylo’s form asleep on the bed. Bathed in starlight, the sight of him made her heart hurt in a beautiful way.  “It will all be _ours._ ”  She inhaled. “Once Snoke is gone, our chains will be broken and we will have nothing to stop us. Nothing holding us back."

 

 

 

As she was talking to herself, admiring the view, Kylo stirred. “If you felt like that, why didn’t you go with Hux when he offered you what he did?”  he asked, sleepy.  Her emotions had roused him from sleep and intrigued him a little. He wondered what had happened to give her such a surge in power and desire.  

 

 

“Because you wouldn’t have been with me. There is no point in me having power without you by my side to share it with me. I want you by my side, to share in everything….the power, the glory…everything.  Hux would have been a fine man to have with me….but he wouldn’t have been you."

 

 

 

 

“What happened with Skywalker?”  Kylo asked, sitting up in bed to look at her properly.  

 

“Killing him…” she paused. “…he was afraid of me. Because I got angry with him. He told me that he couldn’t save you. I told him he saved his father. He told me it wasn’t the same.” She turned her head away.  “…that was the last thing I let him say."

 

 

He could feel her anger. It was almost tangible, burning hot as thought it was the center of a star.  

 

 

“I’ve made my peace with that, my love,” he said, hoping to calm her down before she broke the windows and sucked them into space. 

 

 

“He was wrong. I simply let him know that. And he was afraid of me…and I liked how that felt. I liked his fear, his pain, his terror…the terror he felt as he realized that turning on you gave rise to me and now here I was, tangible, living proof that he and his methods had completely, utterly _failed._ “  A pause and she looked him. Her eyes were very dark with an emotion he couldn’t place, but it made him feel all tingly with arousal.  “It was like taking back control of my life…and I like how that feels. It was like….learning from you all over again. Suddenly, I went from being powerless to having more power than I know what to do with.” The smile on her face would have scared anyone else, but Kylo had to will himself to not rouse to her. 

 

 

He was in awe of her. She was standing in the middle of a room full of stars, eyes burning with an emotion he couldn’t place, radiating power and ambition. And she was the single most beautiful thing he’d ever laid eyes on. 

 

 

 

She chuckled.  “You are terrible at hiding your desire, Kylo Ren."

 

 

 

“It’s hard to do so when you’re staring at one of the galaxy’s most beautiful and awe inspiring sights.”  There was the tiniest hint of a flush on his cheeks.  “I…I love you, Ventress. I love you in all your beautiful, deadly power and glory."

 

 

With this statement, he managed to finally get out of bed and approach her in the center of the room.  He took a moment to look around at the sight before him.  But all the stars in the galaxy couldn’t compare to the beauty of the woman beside him. 

 

 

“Is this what you want, my love?” he asked, running his fingers through her hair. “The galaxy?"

 

 

“Yes. I want this. I want it all."

 

 

“Then you’ll have it,” he promised.  “You’ll have all that you desire."

 

 

She kissed him then, shoving him back on the bed before crawling over him.  “Well, let me start by having the fist thing that I desire…"

 

 

Her mouth covered his then and there were no more words. 


	55. A Proposal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we have the seeds of our endgame. Also, now we know the role Hux will play. But his love for Ventress/Rey is one sided on his part. This IS still a Reylo story, after all.
> 
> Maybe I'll do a Reylux story one day....

Sometimes Hux wished he had the Force if only so he could not be surprised when Ventress decided to drop in unannounced. 

 

 

Her footfalls were sharp on the floor of his quarters, only stopping to pick up his cat, Millicent, and cuddle it in her arms.  For someone renowned for murdering generals and war heroes and bringing entire planets to their knees, she was surprisingly affectionate. 

 

 

“I assume, Lady Ventress, that you are not here for the cat,” Hux poured himself a glass of something strong. “Nor are you here to kill me."

 

 

“Now, General, why in the WORLD would I want to kill you?” Ventress asked, smirking. “And besides, if I wanted to kill you, you’d be dead already. I don’t mess around. You know this."

 

 

“So, then let’s get down to business,” Hux sat down, his drink in his hand.  “What brings you to my quarters tonight?"

 

 

 

“Kylo and I are planning something,” Ventress begins, sitting across from him.  She is a vision in her usual dark robes, her dark eyes fixed on him. “And we need you to help us.”  Millicent purrs in her arms.  

 

 

 

“What do two Force users want with a general?"

 

 

“The question you should be asking is what do we need with a _sniper_?"

 

 

That got Hux’s attention.  “What are you proposing?"

 

 

“Kylo and I are planning on cleaning house within the Order. Weed out any who would have a shred of loyalty to the Supreme Leader. We need a sniper to carry out assassinations he and I cannot do ourselves. But we also need a figurehead to serve as Emperor. Hux, he and I, we need you. We need your help and skills."

 

 

“Meaning?"

 

 

“Do I have to spell it out for you? You help us, we clear a path for you to claim the seat of power you desire. That’s all there is to it.” A smirk. “But of course, to sweeten the deal, I do have one more thing to offer you."

 

 

“And what would that be?"

 

 

“Me."


	56. Building An Empire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS NOT A REYLUX STORY. I SWEAR. It is an alliance between the three for power and Snoke murdering. Ventress likes Hux but not like THAT, and Hux is aware of it. And Hux is not an idiot. He is smart enough to know he would much rather be on their side than opposing them. 
> 
>  
> 
> So, think of this as a mutually beneficial partnership.
> 
>  
> 
> I may do a Reylux fic in the future once this monster of a fic is over with, but after I finish this, I think I'm retiring from Star Wars for a while...

“Don’t say things you don’t mean, Lady Ventress.” Hux took a long sip of his drink.  “Don’t toy with a man’s heart like that.” 

 

 

“Oh, General…” Ventress purred, putting Millicent down on the floor before rising to her feet. “…do you really think so little of me?  Here is the full deal, laid out for you: you help Kylo and I clear a path, rid ourselves of Snoke. In exchange for your services, we elevate you to the power you desire. You become Emperor and bring the galaxy under control through order. And to top it off, you get to have me as your loving consort and loyal Empress."

 

 

“Why offer yourself?” Hux swallowed. “Why not appoint some luckless woman?"

 

 

“Because, General, he and I want to be the power behind the throne…but then I had the idea it would work out better if Kylo was the power behind the throne while I was also the power ON it. We needed someone we knew we could trust. So, I decided to offer myself. He’s not entirely pleased, but he’ll have to learn to share.”  A smile crossed her face, but this one was laced with deadly intent.  “As will you, but I have every confidence you’ll agree to help us."

 

 

“And if I refuse?"

 

 

The sound of her lightsaber igniting told him his answer, as did the motion of her bringing her deadly blade right to his throat.  “When I said we were cleaning house, did you think I was joking?"

 

 

He gulped. “I just have one final question."

 

 

“Ask."

 

 

“What is driving this decision? I know you weren’t like this before regarding Supreme Leader. What changed?"

 

 

Her expression changed to something unreadable as she brought her blade down and attached her saber to her hip once more. Suddenly, she was in his mind, her voice far away. _I’ll show you._  

 

 

The General is nearly brought to his knees by the vision she shows him, of what had driven Kylo to hide on Mustafar, of Snoke’s terrifying plans for Ventress.  It is like something out of some kind of high grade nightmare and it made him even whiter than normal.  

 

 

“So that’s what he wanted you for…” Hux was speechless. How could the Supreme Leader be so callous and unfeeling? How could he look at someone like Ventress, beautiful, compelling, powerful and deadly, and see nothing but an incubator? It made him feel sick.

 

 

“So, General, now that you know the truth…will you help us?"

 

 

A pause.  

 

 

“When do we start?"


	57. The New Order

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Exposition is a necessary evil....and it's only fair that Hux knows a little more about the woman he's about to "marry".

“I don’t like this idea,” Kylo muttered as Ventress came back, her smile telling him that Hux had agreed to Ventress’ crazy plan. “How do you expect me to stand quietly by while you’re paraded about on Hux’s arm as his wife?"

 

 

“I wish you two would warm up to each other. I thought after so much time, you’d have formed at least a decent working relationship.”  Ventress pulled off her outer robe. “He’s not so bad."

 

 

“He’s an overly ambitious ginger monster,” Kylo muttered.  “This is a terrible idea, using him to wrest power from Snoke’s grip.  He won’t agree with it. He’ll know."

 

 

“Hux will do what I want as long as I ask.” Ventress was confident. “Once you have a man by the dick, he will do whatever you want. Hux knows I don’t love him. He knows I can never love him as long as you live. But he also knows he can’t kill you. So he will do what I want if it makes me happy. And this will make me very happy."

 

 

“I don’t like the idea of sharing you, my love.” He ran his fingers through her hair.  “I don’t know if I can tolerate seeing you on his arm."

 

 

This caused her to stiffen a little bit. “If you finish that thought with something like I belong to you, I’ll castrate you. I belong to no one except me."

 

 

“The thought had crossed my mind…” No sense in lying about it.  “But I also respect you too much to ever try to call you a possession. You don’t belong to me…but my heart belongs to you and you alone. I am just…I am afraid you will lose your heart to… _him.”_  


So that’s what that was. He was afraid of losing her to Hux.  

 

 

“Kylo…” She ran her fingers through his hair in return, then along his face before kissing him gently. “You have nothing to worry about. I could never love Hux. This marriage, it’s a sham. You know this. It is a marriage strictly for power and convenience. There are plenty of marriages like that. And besides, my love, you will be our knight protector, our faithful right hand. You will never be far from my side, or, if you will allow me to be cliche, from my heart. You just need to trust me."

 

 

“I do trust you. I just don’t trust him."

 

 

She knew that to be a lie. He had trusted Hux with her when he decided to run off to the Mustafar system.  “You do trust him. You just don’t trust him to remember that this is not a real marriage. Kylo, my love, have faith. This will all be worth it when Snoke is dead and we are free. Free to live our lives and take back all that has been taken from us. Isn’t that what we both want so desperately? To be unshackled by Snoke?"

 

 

He sighed. “Of course. Otherwise I wouldn’t have let you come up with this crazy plan."

 

 

 

“Then please, just trust me.” She kissed his forehead. “That is all I ask."

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Hux as Emperor and you as Empress?” Snoke was surprised, but intrigued when Ventress knelt before him to tell him her idea. 

 

“As a way to cement the power of the First Order and to bring everything together under a unified figure. Or, pair of figures as it were. General Hux will make a fine Emperor, but her needs extra power both beside him and behind him. Palatine got as afar as he did because he was a Sith lord. Hux doesn’t have the Force, but I do. I can be of better use to him by his side than behind him, which is where Kylo Ren will be,"

 

 

“I see you’ve given this some thought."

 

 

“We worked so hard to bring the galaxy under our control. Why let it slip by not having effective leaders?"

 

 

Snoke seemed to sit back, his great managed face regarding Ventress and Kylo and Hux.  He considered this for a long moment.  

 

 

“Do you agree with this, General?” Snoke asked, directing his question to the red haired general on the other side of Ventress.  “Do you agree to a fake marriage with Ventress?"

 

 

It pained him to admit that, but he nodded. “I agree. She came to me with the idea. I agree with her. Our new empire needs a leader and I need an empress I can trust. I can think of no better partner in this than the Lady Ventress."

 

 

Kylo had learned to shut his mind off while in meetings with Snoke just to stay sane. He didn’t want to agree to this, but he also knew the greater machinations behind it…and that he would be a very lousy Emperor. He had no place on a throne…even if he did have royal blood.

 

 

“And you are okay with this, Kylo Ren?” Snoke turned to him.

 

 

“I have no place on a throne,” Kylo murmured, which told Snoke all he needed to know. 

 

 

“Go ahead with this plan.” Snoke agreed.  “Play your roles and play them well…or suffer the consequences.”  There was an underlying current of anger to his words, as thought he knew what was really going on and trying to cut it off. “And none of you will enjoy it."

 

 

Having already been choked and tortured by him, Ventress refused to be scared. “Don’t worry. We understand."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wisely, Kylo waited until they were out of Snoke’s room and sequestered somewhere within the depths of the Citadel before he said anything.  “He knows."

 

 

“I don’t care,” Ventress would not be cowed by a man with delusions of being Palpatine. She hadn’t forgotten what Anakin had told her back on Dagobah about Snoke possibly being Darth Plagueis, but she refused to believe such a thing. If it were true, she’d have died before leaving the room. “Let him know. By the time the man gets around to doing anything about it, he’ll be dead and it’ll all be over with."

 

 

“If we’re going to go ahead with this playing marriage idea of yours…” Hux decided to defuse the situation, sensing the tension.  “…I suggest that you, Lady Ventress, a)find a new name for yourself and b)procure your own security force. No one can know that the Empress of the First Order and the feared Ventress Ren are one and the same."

 

 

“I don’t need a new name.” Ventress smirked. “I can simply use my old one."

 

 

 

Hux raised an eyebrow at this. “Your old one?"

 

 

“What, did you think that my name was always Ventress, General? No, no, my real name, my old name, is Rey."

 

 

“Rey?”  Hux blinked. It was a pretty name, suited her. “Rey what?"

 

 

Ventress sighed, fingering her hair. “Rey nothing. Just Rey.” She then tells most of her life story (at least the parts she’s comfortable with) to Hux, with Kylo beside her, occasionally moving to comfort her when the words get to be too much.  Hux listens in stone silence, shocked and horrified that this girl, this fearsome enforcer and powerful Force user, had started out alone and abandoned on some backwater planet. Her name, “Rey” and her scavenger skills and fighting abilities were all she had, which made her rise to power all the more fascinating. Hux found himself slightly humbled by such a thing.

 

 

He was going to marry this woman and then crown her. He was in awe. 

 

 

He must have been putting his feelings on full blast, because when she had finished telling him her story, she looked at him.  “You pity me."

 

 

“A little, yes. It’s hard not to when hearing a story like that. I’m not totally heartless, my lady.  I do feel.” He looked at her and then decided to change the subject. “So, how do we proceed with this?"

 

 

A smirk. “I thought you would never ask. Here’s what’s going to happen…"


	58. Assassins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because Ventress needs handmaidens and Kylo needed a focus.

Ventress didn’t like the idea of having to pick personal bodyguards for herself, as she was a)perfectly capable of defending herself and b) used to being protected by the Knights of Ren. But Hux stressed that it was important that Ventress divorce herself from her identity as a Knight of Ren and to have her own security force. She had to acquiesce to the requests of her soon to be Emperor. 

 

 

So, this was how she found herself sitting in a seedy bar in Corellia, draped in dark colors and sipping a drink. She didn’t want to recruit her personal guards from within the First Order, so she had decided to hunt herself. It was absolutely crucial that only a select few knew about her plans to murder Snoke and wrest power from his grasp. If even one part of it leaked, it would all be for nothing. 

 

 

Just as she was about to give up, she was approached by a short and stout girl with a shock of platinum hair and expressive eyes. She was actually quite pretty, and she had some sort of device on one ear. Ventress reached out with the Force to examine her and managed to pluck her name from the depths of the girl’s mind.

 

 

“Haru…"

 

 

The girl stiffened, but only for a moment.  “You must be Ventress Ren, then. I’m Haru. My associate will be along shortly."

 

 

“Sit down.” Ventress took a sip from her drink. “And be quick about it."

 

 

Just as Haru sat down, there was movement out of the corner of Ventress’ eye. A shadow seemed to lunge at her, but Ventress was unfazed. Calling on the Force, she froze her assailant in place, revealing another woman, but this one  was slightly older than the first. She had short red hair, pointed features and a rather stunned expression in her teal eyes.  

 

 

“I take it this is your associate, Haru,” Ventress was cool, calm and collected. 

 

 

Haru was flabbergasted and she stared at Ventress in shock. “How did you…”  Sensing that her questions would not be answered right away, she cleared her throat. “This is Artemis. She’s my associate. We wanted to make sure you were the one and only Ventress Ren, Enforcer of the First Order and test our luck, but um, I see that you are, so perhaps now we can get down to business."

 

 

Ventress released Artemis. “Sit down."

 

 

“So…”Artemis recovered relatively quickly. “…what does the First Order’s enforcer and rumored lover of Kylo Ren need with two assassins?"

 

 

“I need bodyguards to serve me. I am soon to take on a new role within the First Order, one that will put me in the spotlight and take me away from my role as Ventress Ren. I need protection. I cannot give either of you the full details now, but trust me, you will be well paid, fed, clothed and taken care of. A better life than the one on the streets, I assure you."

 

 

 

Haru and Artemis looked at each other over their glasses.  Artemis took a sip of her drink before slamming it back down. “Consider our services hired."

 

 

“Artemis!” Haru was surprised. “You’re agreeing to this so soon?"

 

 

“When the First Order comes calling, you answer, Haru.” Artemis reasoned. “And besides, we’ve done worse things than play handmaidens to someone."

 

“Don’t remind me,” Haru muttered.  “But sure, whatever, you have us as your bodyguards."

 

 

“You won’t regret this,” Ventress promised.

 

 

Haru was skeptical and let her new employer know so. “We’ll see."

 

 

 

 

 

“My Lord, are you sure you’re okay with this plan?” Tyranus was concerned for his master, who had been brooding for a while in his room and he’d come to check on him. “Are you really okay with giving Ventress away?"

 

 

“It’s not giving her away if it’s for something greater.”  He’d been telling himself over and over again. “I just have to play the part of being her knight protector for a little while, just long enough…"

 

 

“But do you really believe that?"

 

 

 

“I don’t like this idea at all.” Kylo admitted at last, not turning around to face his knight. “I don’t want to share Ventress with Hux. I don’t want to have to watch this charade. Ventress is MY wife…” He hesitated.  He couldn’t bring himself to finish the thought. Ventress didn’t belong to him. She was her own person. He knew this. But he couldn’t help the possessiveness that boiled within him.

 

 

  
_“You have to trust me, my love.”_ Her voice floated into his mind.   _“I don’t love Hux. I love you. This is just a charade, a part I’m playing. And when it’s all over, we’ll be free. Isn’t that what you want?_  


He had to trust Ventress. He had to trust in her and in her love. He just had to. 

 

 

“My Lord, I know my voice won’t count for much in this, but I do know that she loves you more than anything else. She loves you so much that she’s doing this extended charade to protect you, to free you. She would do anything for you.” Tyranus bit his lip.  “I assure you, she’s not nearly as happy as this as she’d have you believe."

 

 

 

 

“So, let me get this straight…” Artemis sat back in her chair, raising an eyebrow. “…you, along with Kylo Ren and this General are going to sweep the First Order clean, then murder Snoke and then vanish with Kylo Ren?"

 

 

“More or less,” Ventress had brought her new handmaidens  onboard her private ship to tell them what their roles would be.  “It’s risky, dangerous, and crazy, but after what has happened, I refuse to live under Snoke’s oppressive shoe any longer. I will do whatever it takes to cut not just my strings, but Kylo’s as well."

 

 

“If you don’t mind my asking…” Haru began. “What drove you? What made you take this route?"

 

 

There was a long pause and then Ventress sighed.  “Let me tell you both a story…a long, painful and infuriating story…"


	59. Please Don't Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because we could use a little drama and more of a reason for Snoke to burn in whatever hell is called in the Star Wars universe.

_This is not her body. This much Ventress knows._

_She is back on Mustafar, but it is a different time. She is confronting a man clad in dark colors, a man whose signature in the Force she knows all too well.  She is calling out to him, in a strange, hurting voice, heart aching with pain, body aching with pregnancy._

_“Anakin!” She calls, and that is how Ventress knows that somehow she is in the body of Padme Amidala and the man she is confronting is Anakin Skywalker.  “Come back to me! Please! Don’t go down this path!"_

_Anakin is not listening to her, his eyes are wild with madness and anger.  Ventress feels the fear Padme must have felt, in these moments, as realization slowly dawns on her that Anakin is too far gone to save._

_Suddenly, his hand reaches out and everything blacks out._

_When Ventress awakes again, she is back in her own body, but she is facing Kylo Ren on a catwalk. His face is half in shadow and there’s an expression on his face that she doesn’t recognize and fears._

_He raises his hand to her, voice calm, but angry.  “You told me you loved me…that all you did, you did for me!"_

_“I do love you!” She cried, terrified of his tone. “And it’s true! All I have done…I did for you!"_

_“Don’t lie to me! Don’t say words you don’t mean! I’ve seen what’s in your mind and what is in your heart!!"_

_Those were lies. They had to be. She focused on him and realized that Snoke was influencing him, poisoning his thoughts and his emotions. Snoke had been feeding him lies, just like he had all his life. Snoke was now, out of frustration and rage, trying to do what he did best: turn Kylo on those who loved him._

_She saw the same thing Padme had saw and feared in Anakin’s eyes.  And it scared her.  “Don’t listen to Snoke, Kylo…don’t believe his lies! He doesn’t see you as anything else but a weapon and he treats you like one!"_

_“LIAR!” Kylo roared, his anger almost knocking Ventress back._

_“Kylo…” Ventress pleaded, trying to reach the man she loved. “…please…listen to me. Come back to me. I love you!"_

_“I HATE YOU!” He roared before his hand came up, cutting off her air. “JUST DIE!"_

Ventress’ eyes shot open and she bolted upright in her bed, covered in sweat. Panting, she put her head in her hands. “A dream?”  

 

 

 

She was greeted by silence. 

 

 

 

“It was just a dream.” She murmured.  “…just a dream…"


	60. Fools Rush In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spot references to old EU canon! Also, until the Star Wars people tell me differently, Hux's first name for this story is Brendol

“ASSASSINS?!” Hux was floored. “You went out and hired ASSASSINS to be your handmaidens?!"

 

“They’re considered the best from Corellia and Iwould prefer to pick my bodyguards from outside the First Order.  I can’t risk our plan being leaked to Snoke before it’s time. So I prefer outside assistance.”  Ventress would not allow herself to be intimidated by Hux’s anger.

 

 

Hux stared at her, then sighed very deeply. “All right, all right, fine. I suppose you could do worse…"

 

 

 

Just as he said that, the doors to the conference room opened and in came Artemis and Haru.  Artemis let out a low whistle.  “And here I thought the New Republic had some fancy stuff…this First Order stuff is on a whole other level.” She paused when she saw General Hux and looked him up and down and then up and down again.  “Oh…well…"

 

 

Haru elbowed her.  “Artemis, we are WORKING. No flirting!"

 

 

“That didn’t stop you from flirting with that one Duchess we had to assist sometime back…"

 

 

Haru narrowed her eyes. “Artemis!"

 

 

“I kid, I kid…so, Ventress, is this the General Hux you were telling us about?” Her eyes twinkled. “You didn’t mention how…handsome he’d be."

 

 

“Please forgive my partner..” Haru rolled her eyes. “She likes to flirt."

 

 

“And please forgive MY partner for being such a stick in the mud, unless you happen to be cute and female.” Artemis seemed to inspect Hux with a critical eye. “Seriously, though, is this him?"

 

 

“Yes, it is.” Ventress gestured to Artemis and Haru. “General, I’d like you to meet my new handmaidens, Haru and Artemis."

 

 

“Hello, _General.”_ Artemis said with a flirty wink. 

 

 

Hux looked sideways at Ventress. _Gods help me._  


 

 

News of Hux’s promotion to Emperor and his marriage to a mysterious young woman, Rey, traveled quickly through he ranks of the First Order. Based on the reactions, Ventress was quickly able to put together the hit list of those who were more loyal to Snoke than to Hux.  She hadn’t expected it to be quite so easy, but people within the Order were rarely silent when things bothered them.   

 

 

From that list, they began to clean house. Down and up through the ranks, they went, diversifying methods and often trading targets. 

 

 

Despite the parade of death about them, Ventress and Hux took to planning their charade of a wedding, with Hux commissioning brand new clothes for them, suited for his brand new rank, bestowed on him by Supreme Leader Snoke. 

 

 

 

 

 

“Emperor Brendol Hux II” Hux couldn’t help smugly proclaiming himself to Kylo Ren, ignoring the dirty look the night was giving him. “Not even my father could have dreamed I’d achieve such greatness. He would have been so proud."

 

 

“I’d have thought you’d settle for Grand Admiral."

 

 

“No. That means being compared to Grand Admiral Thrawn and I want no such comparisons. This is a new dawn, Ren. A bright and glorious future for the First Order. You should be happy…or are you still displeased that you need to share?"

 

 

“Just as long as you remember that before she is your wife, she belongs to me."

 

 

The presence of the word “belongs” gave Hux pause.  

 

 

“Ren…did you just imply that Ventress _belongs_  to you?"

 

 

“I didn’t imply it, I said it outright. She is _mine_  and I am only letting you borrow her because I don’t have half the ego you do to play around at Emperor. But as soon as our business is through, you’re never touching her again. I’ll cut your hand off if you try."

 

 

This was a change in Kylo and it was one Hux did not like.  “You do know that she wouldn’t like it if you said things like that to her, don’t you? Ventress belongs to no one but herself. You know that."

 

 

There was a measurable coldness in Kylo’s tone as he leaned closer to Hux and it was matched by a fury in his eyes.  “I am going along with this only because it was her idea. I don’t like you. I never have and I certainly don’t trust you with her. But I trust her."

 

 

Hux swallowed his urge to scream before speaking. “You should spent less time with Snoke."

 

 

“And you shouldn’t comment on things you don’t know anything about.” With that, he turned and left the room. 

 

 

Hux allowed himself to exhale once the air was clear.

 

 

_That doesn’t bode well..._


	61. I'm Scared of Losing You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sing song voice* Kylo's going crazy, Kylo's going crazy...
> 
>  
> 
> Now celebrating 60 official chapters!

 

 

Snoke had to admit that he was impressed. It had taken guts to come up with such a complicated plan to murder him, and he was a bit sad that Ventress would not serve her purpose as the mother to a legion of Dark Side users. A shame to let such potential go to waste, but he could not allow her to do as she pleased. Her chains were close to breaking and if she were to escape, even if it was into the relative safety of the upper echelons of First Order power, he would lose his grip on her. Permanently.

 

 

Under normal circumstances, this would make him angry. But, under such _unique_ circumstances, it provided Snoke with a golden opportunity, one in which not only would Ventress get the punishment she deserved, but also ensure that Kylo Ren’s chains to him would never be broken.  

 

Jealousy and insecurity were such ugly things, but Snoke found them very beautiful…especially when those were the very emotions that would ensure Kylo Ren’s ultimate fate.

 

Forever a puppet on the string of Supreme Leader Snoke.  Not even Palpatine could have gotten a better result.

 

 

 

 

As plans for the wedding moved forward, Ventress was forced to abandon her Knight of Ren status and begin to make public appearances as Lady Rey, Emperor Hux’s betrothed. Admittedly, it was nice to be adored by others outside of the Knights of Ren and she tried her best to put her best foot forward, despite a lack of proper etiquette training and social graces.   Despite all of this, she seemed to leave a good impression on First Order dignitaries as well as those from other planets.

 

 

“I didn’t think I was cut out for this sort of life…” Ventress admitted to Haru and Artemis as the three of them made their way from her private shuttle to the palace on Naboo. “…dressed in finery, paraded about to be examined, trying to be polite. I always thought it was too fussy and playing politics too messy."

 

 

“People seem to take a shine to you and Hux,” Artemis remarked, noticing the admiring gazes from a crowd of men and women alike as they made their way to Hux’s side. “It helps that he hides his more…ruthless tendencies well."

 

 

“As gifted with a silver tongue and the use of compassion as a weapon as he is with that sniper rifle of his. Admirable qualities.” Haru agreed. “And admittedly, if I were inclined to like men, I would go for him. Only for the power and wealth, of course."

 

 

“Yes, yes, must feed that makeup addiction.” Artemis teased. 

 

 

 

“Your handmaidens are such lively ladies,” Hux commented when Ventress reached his side.  “I’m sure they provide such lovely company."

 

 

“They do, but they’re not…they’re not Kylo Ren.”  She hadn’t been able to spend much time with him even when she had to drop the charade. Snoke seemed to be eating up all of Kylo’s time these days, something Ventress found suspicious. “I find myself aching for his company lately…but our bond provides me little comfort when its clouded by such insecurity and jealousy."

 

 

“Him? Jealous?” 

 

 

“Hm, yes…he wishes it were him on my arm for all the world to see.” She grew quiet and her facade cracked, for just a second. “I fear I am losing him."

 

 

 

Her fears were further confirmed when she felt Kylo Ren’s presence during the grand reception the Naboo were throwing for her and Hux. When she felt it, she found herself unable to ignore it and she managed to slip away from dinner to go find where he was hiding.

 

 

When she found him hiding in a corner of the palace, she couldn’t help herself. She shoved him into a room where they could not be discovered and then embraced him.  But the embrace didn’t last, as he pushed her gently away. His arms felt cold to her, almost foreign.

 

 

“Kylo?” Ventress was confused. 

 

 

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, ignoring her expression. “People will see."

 

 

“Not if they value their lives, they won’t…where have you been? You were supposed to be with Hux when he landed, instead I found Revan with him and you..soemwhere else."

 

 

“Supreme Leader Snoke demanded my presence. He gives orders, I obey."

 

 

If Ventress focused hard enough, she could just barely make out the mental chains Snoke seemed to have all over Kylo’s mind. They were stronger than they had been before, which worried her.  “Kylo, what’s going on? What are you not telling me?"

 

 

“I didn’t want have to watch this charade any more than I have to.” Kylo spat. “This entire idea is stupid. Do you think I LIKE watching the two of you pretend to play lovers, when it should be ME on your arm, me out there with you, ME as your beloved Emperor!” He gripped her arm tight. “As soon as this charade is over with, I am taking you someplace where I can keep an eye on you."

 

 

Something in his tone made her hackles rise. “Are you implying that you’d lock me away in some tower like a princess?"

 

“If that is what it takes to keep you all to myself, so be it. You are _mine!"_  


Something was very wrong with this scenario. Even without being able to look him in the face, there was something about this that just felt wrong. Kylo was never so possessive, so jealous and angry.  Ventress took a step back.  “Yours?"

 

 

“Yes, MINE! You are MY wife. You belong to me!"

 

 

“Kylo, stop, listen to yourself!” Ventress was now very scared. She could sense his pain now, colored by anger and jealousy and tempered by Snoke’s words. Suddenly, it hit her. Snoke was poisoning him.  

 

 

 

_How could you let her play Empress with Hux when her rightful place is by your side? Aren’t you mad that she has to be so close to him? He could steal her heart away, right out from under your nose! I bet she doesn’t love you. I wonder if her heart has changed…._

Ventress set her jaw.  Snoke’s lies were legion and preyed on Kylo’s emotions the same way they had when Kylo was a vulnerable, lost child. It made her sick.

 

 

“Look into my heart, Kylo.” she challenged him. “Tell me what you see in there before you listen to his lies!"

 

 

She could hear Snoke whispering that she was lying, but she would not be drowned out by him. She would not lose her beloved to insanity. That dream would not become a reality.

 

 

“LISTEN TO ME!” her voice boomed, the Force nearly knocking him off his feet. “Kylo, please…"

 

 

But for once, he would not. His heart would not be moved.

 

 

“When this is over…” he promised her, before shoving her back to the dinner.  “…I am never going to let you go."

 

 

But instead of comforting her, those words only made her shiver in fear.  

 

 

 

_Kylo, come back to me. I’m scared of losing you..._

 


	62. El Tango De Ventress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recommended listening for this chapter, "El Tango de Roxanne" from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack. Also, any piece from the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack that you'd hear when the chandelier crashed. 
> 
> Because yeah, it's THAT kind of chapter.

_(Jealousy)_

_Will drive you..._

_Will drive you…._

_Will drive you..._

_MAD!_

 

 

Ventress waited until they had begun dancing to tell Hux what had just happened.  She couldn’t risk breaking cover, but didn’t want to wait until they were alone.  

 

 

 

“I should have known Snoke would have not only known about the plan, but done something like this,” she confessed as Hux guided her across the dance floor.  “Kylo Ren is his most prized weapon. There’s no way he’s giving him up without a fight."

 

 

“I’m more concerned about you. Did he hurt you?” Hux had to keep his face close to ensure that they could hear each other and not be overheard. 

 

 

“No…even in the throes of madness, he would never hurt me. Mainly because I know, somewhere in there, is the man I love and he wouldn’t raise his hand to me. Well firstly, because I can hit him back…and secondly, because again…."

 

 

“Ventress, you must be careful. Whatever Snoke is doing to him, it’s making him irrational and he’s at his most dangerous when he’s like that.” Hux had sen this before, mostly in the time before Ventress has come. “I know when he is rational and sane, he would not hurt you..” He thought back to the crazed, furious look in Kylo’s eyes. “But now, I am not sure if he understands…"

 

 

Ventress let him dip her backwards before speaking.  “Hux, what are you saying?"

 

 

“I am saying that Snoke is preying on his jealousy and insecurity. He fears I will steal you from him and Snoke is using that to turn him against you. You have to be more careful, especially when you are alone with him."

 

 

“You? Steal me away! Nonsense….”  But then she remembered that when she implored him to look into her heart and into her head, to feel the love she felt for Kylo Ren, he had refused to listen to her. She had felt his anger and his envy and above all else, his fear.  And then she remembered hearing Snoke’s voice in Kylo’s head, whispering to him.  The knot in her stomach tightened. The possessive tone in his voice, the anger in his Force signature and the the coldness of Kylo’s embrace all gave her pause.  This wasn’t the man she loved…this was someone else. 

 

 

But no matter. She would bring Kylo back from the brink, murder Snoke and free them both from his chains, no matter what it took. And then, they would flee somewhere where they’d never be found and take back their lives.

 

 

 

Suddenly, the music began to play a more sensual song and she was aware of all eyes on them.  Her grip on Hux’s hand tightened. 

 

 

“Don’t be nervous,” he encouraged her, hoping to set her more at ease.  “Let me lead."

 

 

 

_His eyes upon your face_

_His hand upon your hand_

_His lips caress your skin…._

_It’s more than I can stand…._

The part of Kylo that was still rational was now fighting the rest of him, imploring him to trust Ventress, that she loved him and only him.  Everything she did in public with Hux was for a show. It begged the rest of him to come back from the brink before he did something he’d live to regret, to remember Anakin’s words.   _Don’t let him put you in a suit. If he does, and mark my words, he will, you will be a slave, not just to him, but to your own mind. And you will live this reality every single day for the rest of your life. And she won’t be able to save you._  


The change in music was enough to distract him from his thoughts. He had taken to hiding on one of the darker balconies of the ballroom, watching the formal dance with detachment. His eyes were mostly on Ventress, who was dancing with Hux. Their faces were a little too close for comfort, but he guessed they were discussing something. 

 

 

As the music changed to something more sensual, his grip on the balcony tightened. 

 

 

 

Hux was now leading Ventress in a slow dance, his hands never once leaving hers, his eyes never leaving her face.  It was almost like a silent plea to trust him to lead her.  As Kylo watched, they began to dance, gliding across the floor in some kind of waltz, bodies pressed close together.

 

 

Watching this was almost too much to handle.  It should have been him on that floor, dancing with Ventress, holding her close to him. 

 

 

  
_Do you see? How easily she seems to follow him?_  A voice, one long forgotten from his childhood, emerged from the depths of his mind. _He could take her away just as easily and she would go. She would forget all about you, all about this little charade..._  


On the dance floor, Hux dipped Ventress backward and pulled her up slowly, their lips almost touching.

 

 

Nearby, a window shattered as Kylo’s grip on the balcony became bruising. 

 

 

_Look at how she looks at him._

“Stop it…” Kylo murmured, his rationality surfacing before something in him snapped. 

 

 

_Look at how he looks at her. Such arrogance!_

“She loves me…"

 

 

_No she doesn’t…._

“All she is doing, she’s doing for me…"

 

 

_More of her lies..._

Above them, the wiring of the chandelier began to fray. 

 

 

 

 

On the dance floor, Ventress stiffed, skin going a little pale.  

 

 

“What’s the matter?” Hux asked, trying to keep their dance going to ease her. “What do you sense?"

 

 

“Kylo is here and he’s watching,” she whispered to Hux.  “And, he’s arguing with himself."

 

 

He twirled her around and dipped her backwards for good measure, pulling her body close so she could follow the music.  “Forget him for the moment…focus on me. Others are watching."

 

 

The dance continued, without incident, until suddenly….

 

 

 

There was a scream from the dancers as the wiring of the chandelier above them snapped and the massive fixture began to fall from the ceiling.  People began running in all directions to avoid being hurt by falling glass. 

 

 

Hux grabbed Ventress close to him and pulled her away, heading towards Artemis and Haru, who were rushing to their mistress.

 

 

There were more screams as the windows blew out and the chandelier hit the floor, plunging a good chunk of the ballroom into darkness. 

 

 

 

“What was that?!” Hux yelled as he handed Ventress off to Artemis. “The chandelier….”  He then looked upwards, almost on a whim, and saw Kylo Ren lurking in the shadows of a balcony.  And then it hit him…he knew exactly what had just happened.


	63. Freaking Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the purposes of this chapter, please assume that Ventress is on a separate ship from Hux and Kylo, because there was no way in HELL Hux was letting Kylo near Ventress after what just happened.
> 
>  
> 
> Recommended listening: "Freaking Out" by Mystery Skulls

“DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED?!” Hux roared the second Kylo Ren entered his shuttle. “You could have killed innocent people! Either you temper your little outbursts or I am going to take you back to Mustafar and leave you there to rot!"

 

 

“I lost control."

 

 

That wasn’t good enough for Hux. The chandelier dropping was chalked up to the fixture being faulty and the windows a random act. It wasn’t like a terrorist attack or anything, but Hux was not about to let this go. He didn’t care if Kylo hurt him, but he DID care if Kylo hurt innocent people.  “You lost control? Of what? Your mental faculties? I don’t care if you have some kind of irrational vendetta against me, but you keep that nonsense to yourself and control yourself. I won’t have you hurting people who have done you no wrong!"

 

 

“Perhaps you should think of that before you lay your hands…"

 

 

“Don’t you DARE finish that sentence!” Hux didn’t have the Force, but times like this, he wish he did. “Ventress loves you and only you and perhaps if you listened to her over Snoke, you would know that.” A pause and then his blue eyes burned with an intensive emotion, a desire to protect Ventress.  “And know this, the moment you raise your hand against her, is the moment you are well and truly lost to Supreme Leader Snoke. Because the Kylo Ren she loves…she believes would never hurt her."

 

 

 

“Are you threatening me, _Emperor?"_  


 

Hux’s jaw set. “Yes. I am. Because the moment you raise your hand against her, to hurt her, I will swiftly relieve you of it. You Force users aren’t invincible, you know. You can be killed. And it would break her heart if you were to die. But I’d rather her heart be broken than for it to stop.”  

 

 

“How cocky you are, thinking you can take me on."

 

 

“Oh I harbor no delusions that I am on your level. I know what I am capable of. But I will protect her, even if it costs me. I know she can never love me as I love her and that is why I will not sit by and let you hurt her so much. Get your act together, Ren. Or you will lose her. And Snoke will be all you have left."

 

 

 

With that Hux turned and walked to the cockpit, barricading himself in there just to get away from Kylo. 

 

 

 

 

 

  
_The minute you raise your hand against her, to hurt her, is the minute you will lose her._ Kylo Ren’s rationality was surfacing again.   _She loves you. Listen to her._  


“Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!” Something in the small space broke.  He felt the same way he did as a child, unable to stop the whispering, the nightmares, the bad dreams, the voices that said things he didn’t feel and made him feel even more alone in the galaxy. 

 

 

But his rationality, the part of him that knew Snoke was manipulating him, was quickly drowned out by harsher whispers, whispers that she didn’t love him that she loved Hux and was going to simply abandon him. 

 

 

_She doesn’t love you_

 

_She’s a liar_

_She’s a whore! But what did you expect, some backwater scavenger nobody!_

  
_“_ _Kylo, come back to me!”_  He voice suddenly cut through the noise, a vision rocketing through his mind. Ventress is facing him now and she is gasping for air.  _“I love you!"_  


  
_“I HATE YOU!”_ he roared, watching as she collapsed to the ground, eyes wide with fear and heartbreak.

 

 

And then, Snoke was there.  _“And now, Kylo Ren, you belong to me!"_  



	64. It Hurts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like 11 days and a major depressive episode later, I finally get this chapter out...
> 
> Yeah, things are only going to go downhill from here (But yes, it will get better).

_Why does my heart cry?_

_Feelings I can’t fight_

_You’re free to leave me_

_Just don’t deceive me_

_And please, believe me when I say_

_I love you..._

Ventress could not believe what she was hearing. “You can’t tell me to not be alone with him. You know it’s only going to make everything worse."

 

 

“I don’t want you alone with him only for your own safety. Ventress, Kylo is not sane. He’s not in his rational mind right now and I fear he could hurt you.” Hux’s voice was tinged with worry as it came in over the communications console on Ventress’ ship.  

 

 

“He could never…”  Ventress’ voice trailed off as she remembered the chandelier crashing in the ballroom. Only someone with the Force could have brought it down like that and the only other Force user she knew was… “…no. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t…"

 

 

“Ventress, please, for your own safety…” Hux sighed. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. I am not asking you to stay away from him entirely, but just to not be with him without one of your handmaidens being there to watch out for you."

 

 

“You know this is just going to make him angrier, right?”  Ventress’ hands were twisting  amongst her cloak. “Telling him something like that, that’s only going to make things worse."

 

 

“I don’t think things can get much worse considering there’s a chandelier on the floor of a ballroom in Naboo that dropped for what was assumed to be no good reason…when you and I both know better.” Hux sounded slightly distressed.

 

 

“Fine, I’ll agree to it.”  She figured things couldn’t get worse after the chandelier incident.

 

 

 

As the wedding and coronation drew ever closer, Kylo grew ever further away from her.  She could still reach out and feel him, but he kept rejecting her, forcing her out, consumed by paranoia and fear and the same whispers from Snoke that had plagued him all his life.  He grew colder towards her, and although he never raised his hand to her, she kept away from him anyway out of fear.

 

 

But Ventress longed to be close to the man she loved once again and figured once their plan went off (it wasn’t going off without a hitch at this point, that was for sure), she could have him back.  At least, that was the hope she kept in her heart, which refused to allow Snoke to break it.

 

 

 

Nights aboard the _Asajji_ were often very lonely affairs, so Ventress often would call Hux in the middle of the night just to talk to him. Most of the “talking” on her part was her crying.

 

 

 

“I don’t think I can go through with this anymore,” she confessed one night as she lay awake, staring at the image of Hux on the other end of the line. The image of the Emperor,  brought her a measure of comfort.  “As the days to the event grow near, he becomes colder. I can’t break through to him, not over Snoke’s voice in his head. Not through the paranoia."

 

 

“We may have to amend the original plan…” Hux didn’t like seeing her like this. “I can’t trust Kylo Ren’s part in it if what you say is true.” Hux didn’t understand the Force, nor did he pretend he did, but he did know what paranoia could to do a man.  “He hasn’t hurt you, has he?"

 

 

“No…he hasn’t put his hands on me or anything like that…” She thought back to the nightmare she’d had, of meeting the same end as Padme Amidala. “…at least, not yet."

 

 

“What do you mean by _yet?!”_  


“It’s…its hard to explain.”  She wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be telling you all this. It’s just more ammunition."

 

 

Just then, there was a knock at the door and Ventress shut off the connection.  “Who’s there?"

 

 

“Just Revan, Lady Ventress…did I wake you?"

 

 

Sensing that Revan was alone, Ventress covered herself and opened the door to her room. The Knight of Ren’s face, uncovered by his mask looked at first worried, then hopeful when he saw her.  

 

“No, I was already awake. I was simply talking to Hux.”  She looked at him. “It’s late. What are you doing here?"

 

 

“Lord Kylo sent me…seeing as how he’s not allowed to be alone with you anymore. He asked me to bring you a gift."

 

 

She grew very tense at the mention of “a gift”.   “What sort of gift?"

 

 

“I don’t know, my lady.” He held up the box he was carrying.  “He wouldn’t tell me."

 

 

Ventress took the offered box from Revan’s hands and pulled it close to her chest.   “Thank you, Revan…”  She turned to go back into her room, only to be stopped by Revan asking her something.

 

 

“Forgive me for asking this question, but do you still love Lord Kylo?"

 

 

At the question, she turned white. “What?"

 

 

“I asked you if you still loved Lord Kylo…because the way he’s been carrying on lately, it’s like he’s forgotten this marriage is an act."

 

 

“Yes…” Ventress held the box tightly to her chest. “But I fear I am losing him. He grows colder to me every day. He won’t talk to me. He’s consumed by fear and paranoia and has become dangerous…but yes. I still love him. I just…I want the man I love back. The pain his coldness causes me…hurts me more than his hands ever would."

 

 

 

“There is a part of him that loves you still, my lady,” Revan assured her.  “A part that Snoke hasn’t managed to twist and pervert. You must try to reach that part. I know you can do it."

 

 

 

Somehow hearing that gave her renewed hope.


	65. The Gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grab some tissues and hold on to your feels, people.

_“There is a part of him that loves you still. A part of him that hasn’t been twisted and perverted by Snoke. You must try to reach that part."_

Could what Revan said be true? Could there be a part of Kylo Ren that Ventress could reach? She could scarcely let herself believe that. 

 

 

 

She didn’t want to let herself hope and instead, focused on the box in her arms. It was black, lacquered, with gold Sith symbols all over it. Something about the symbols warmed her inside, reminded her of happier times. She ran her fingers over the largest symbol on the lid.  Reaching out with the Force, she noticed that there didn’t seem to be anything sinister within.

 

 

Settling herself back on the bed, she gingerly opened the lid to reveal the contents. 

 

 

At first, the box only seemed to contain a bundle of silky red fabric. Furrowing her brow, she unwrapped the bundle to reveal the silvery battle worn handle of Kylo Ren’s lightsaber.   Her eyes widened.  

 

 

  
_His lightsaber!_  She was floored. _Why would he give me this?_  


There was a soft sound from around the lightsaber handle and Ventress then noticed the gold chain wrapped around the handle. Her fingers followed the chain to reveal Kylo’s wedding ring at the base. 

 

 

Something in Ventress’ chest tightened and she felt like she could not breathe. She was seized with the desire to call Kylo, to make him explain this to her, but she couldn’t.  Not while she was unsure if he could trust him not to hurt her. 

 

 

As she set the handle down, there was a soft “clink” sound at the bottom of the box. Ventress reached in and her hand wrapped itself around some sort of device. Pulling it out, she was surprised to discover that it was some kind of projection device…a communicator. 

 

 

Setting the lightsaber and chain back in the box, she sat back on the bed and activated the device, unsure of what she would see when she did.

 

 

Kylo's face, scar, beauty marks and all appeared, glowing a bright blue in the dark of her room.  Seeing his face, untwisted by paranoia and anger made her heart ache even more.  In fact, it was like seeing the man she loved for the first time all over again.

 

 

“Ventress…” he began, coughing and then he started over. “My love, if you are receiving this message, than you have gotten my gift for you. I have given you my lightsaber and my ring as proof that I love you. I can hear you. I know you're trying to reach me, but I fear, by the time you say your vows that I will no longer be able to answer you. The plan must be amended. You must be willing to not just kill Snoke, but also to kill me. I would much rather die at your hand than cause you any further pain. I know about your vision."

 

 

Her eyes began to water, heart clenching.  

 

 

“I want to promise you that I could never raise my hands against you, but you, better than most, know the hold Snoke has over me. I fear he would much rather have me die than let me go and I know he is more than willing to get rid of you than of me. I don’t want to hurt you. That is why I have pushed you away. I do still love you, with all of my heart. You are my everything…and I am giving you my saber to ensure that I can never use it to harm you.” He paused. “And if I were to die by your hand, I would die free…and happy knowing that I had you and was loved by you."

 

 

Ventress began to cry.

 

 

“I love you, Ventress…even if Snoke has robbed me of the power to tell you in person,” He paused.  “And if anything happens to me, either by your hand or the hand of someone else, I want you to be happy. That is all I want.” There was another pause and then he repeated himself one more time. “I love you."

 

 

And then the recording shut off. 


	66. Message Recieved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I hurt you all enough? LET ME HURT YOU SOME MORE!

Hux was about to go to sleep himself when there was a knock on the door of his room. He paused upon hearing it, only to tense up some more when the knock repeated itself. Grabbing his pistol, he crept towards the door and cracked it open.

 

 

Standing outside his door was a member of the Knights of Ren, Tryanus. He was holding something in his hands and visibly shaking.

 

 

“Sorry to disturb your rest, Emperor, but I have a message for you from Lord Kylo Ren. He insisted that you receive it immediately.” A pause. “Please don’t shoot me."

 

 

“I have a feeling if Kylo Ren wanted me dead, I’d be dead already,” Hux muttered, taking the item, a communication device of some sort, from the shaking knight.  “And why send you? Why wouldn’t he come himself?"

 

 

“I don’t know, Emperor,” Tyranus admitted. “But Lord Kylo has been tied up, in more ways than one, if you get my meaning, by Supreme Leader Snoke a lot these days. He’s not the same person anymore."

 

 

Hux knew this already but he found it strange to hear it coming from someone else. With the exceptions of that incident in the Skywalker cult temple, most of the Knights of Ren were fiercely loyal to Kylo Ren and if not to him, than to Ventress. Hearing one of their number speak against Kylo didn’t bode very well.   

 

 

“Don’t misunderstand me, Emperor,’ Tyranus said, as if he was reading his thoughts. “We are still loyal to our lord, but if push comes to shove, don’t be surprised if some of our number defect to Lady Ventress."

 

 

“Just don’t make yourselves that noticeable or people will talk.” Hux murmured. “It will cause an utter scandal if people learned I was marrying the mistress of the Knights of Ren.  Look what happened to Leia Organa when people found out who her actual father was…” A pause. “Thank you, Tyranus."

 

 

Tyranus bowed and then left. 

 

 

Hux closed and locked the door and drew all the shades down so his room was utter darkness.  He made sure that no one could hear or see him, sat down at his desk and lit a cigarette.

 

 

Bracing himself, he activated the device.

 

 

Kylo Ren’s image popped up and then there was a pause before he began to speak. 

 

 

“Brendol…” The recording began and Hux nearly choked on his cigarette. Kylo had never called him by his first name before.   “…Okay, that should get your attention. If you’re seeing this, then my gift to Ventress presumably arrived in one piece. This is important. I am making this recording while I still have a clear enough head to do so, because I know that once Snoke fully takes hold of me, Ventress is in very real danger. I have given her my lightsaber to ensure I can never use it against her. I love her, deeply, you must know this and it is because I love her that I am asking you to protect her. Emperor, by the time you and her say your vows, I will be beyond her reach and I fear what comes next. Snoke wants her dead because she has strayed and he wants me to do the dirty work. That is why I have pushed her away."

 

 

Hux inhaled sharply at this.   He took another drag off his cigarette.  

 

 

 

“I beg you to protect her, to keep her safe and sound. Safe from a galaxy that could hurt her, but most of all, safe from my hands. I am not asking this as romantic rival who has given up, but as a man in love who is losing himself and wants only the best for his beloved.”  Kylo looked very lost for a second.   “If I am to lose her and trust me, I will, I would rather lose her to you. Take care of her. Love her. Treat her well. That is all I ask.” Another pause and a deep sigh.  “I apologize for how I have acted. I haven’t been myself, but that is because, as I have said, Snoke has begun to take hold of me.”  The image flickered and Hux could have sworn Kylo’s eyes were yellow.  “The plan we made, it must be amended. Ventress must be the one to kill Snoke and if it comes right down to it, to kill me. She will resist, I know she will, but you must urge her to go through with it. I would much rather die than be his vessel.”  

 

 

Hux was horrified.  So _that_  was what Snoke truly was. 

 

 

“I dread what I am to become…I should have listened to Grandfather….but it will be all right. Ventress will be safe, as long as she is with you. Please, look after her.” And then the recording turned itself off.


	67. Memento Mori

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Execute Order 66! Backstory, exposition and I PROMSE, we will see Kylo very, very soon.

If it hadn’t been for the soft murmurings of words in a language he could not understand, Hux wouldn’t have known anyone was in the main room of the abandoned Sith temple. But, once his vision adjusted to the low light, he saw a figure, clad in black, kneeling before the altar, bent over in prayer. 

 

 

“Ventress…” 

 

 

“Leave me."

 

 

“I cannot."

 

 

“You _must._ I will not do it. I will not kill him."

 

 

“Do you know why he asked that of you?” Hux stood out starkly against the blacks and dark colors of the temple and seeing him was too much for Ventress’ eyes. “Do you know what Supreme Leader Snoke IS?"

 

 

“Do you?” Ventress stopped in her prayer to turn to Hux.  “You…you know nothing of the Sith, of the Force! Of him!” She lowered her hood to reveal a face whiter than marble with wild, blood shot eyes. Her face was tear streaked and she glared daggers at him.  But then, when she looked at Hux’s face, tinged with concern over her present state, her face softened.  “…what did he tell you?"

 

 

 

“Without being outward about it, he said he is to become a vessel for Snoke…that Snoke has begun to take hold of him. I imagine this means more to you than to me, since, as you remind me every so often, I know little off the Force."

 

 

“It speaks to a suspicion I have long since had about him, since Kylo Ren began my education in the Force. Snoke is not what he seems to us.” Ventress sighed and stepped forward. “He, is, not who I thought he was, either. He is older than most Sith Lords and unfortunately, older than the records. But he is, despite his denials, Sith. Kylo Ren and I, we are not."

 

 

Hux, a vision in his stark white Emperor’s uniform, watched as she approached him, her voice clam despite the anger in her eyes and the power she radiated.   “He is actually a Sith? A Sith Lord?"

 

 

“Not a Lord. Not quite. More like an entity. He is old. Very old and he uses bodies to stay young. The one we know is very old. It has served him well, but it is failing him. He needs a new one. I was to be that new one….or, as Kylo’s vision showed him, I was to PROVIDE him that new body. Either many new bodies or an army. But since I refused and rebelled, he set his sights on Kylo Ren.” Ventress sighed. “I imagine, before I came, that was Kylo Ren’s purpose. To be the new body of Snoke. His unique heritage and upbringing proved fertile ground for plundering."

 

 

Hux looked pale.  “What can we do?"

 

 

“You want to help him?” Ventress was surprised. “Why?"

 

 

“Because the man I saw in my recording, was a man asking for help. He needs you. He loves you.” A pause. “And because…I consider him, the closes thing I have to a friend."

 

 

 

“What else did he ask of you?"

 

 

“To look after you. To protect you. To…to love you.”  He swallowed.  “The fact, is that I already do. I went into this marriage knowing your heart would be unchanged towards me. And part of me wants nothing more than to keep you safe from him. From Snoke. From whatever fresh hell he has planned. But I know your love for Kylo Ren is more powerful than any force I have ever encountered. You faced down a traitor within the ranks of your own order, ventured through the barren hellscape of a planet and now, you come to a Sith temple to pray for the strength to save him.”  A pause. “So that is why I am here. I am telling you to do what your heart wants you to do. And if need be…to lean on me."

 

 

“Why are you like this to a woman you know cannot love you in return?"

 

 

“I want you to be happy. And if killing Snoke and freeing Kylo Ren will do it, then I will do whatever I can to assist you."

 

 

“You are a far kinder man than your facade allows me to believe.” Ventress then allowed her body to rest against his and he embraced her. “If Kylo Ren dies, I hope we can be happy together."

 

 

This gave him pause.

 

 

“Have you forgotten? We still have a wedding to put on."


	68. Power & Control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can thank my friend for getting me into Penny Dreadful, which then gave me the inspiration for how to do Snoke.
> 
> And yes, the italics are on purpose.

To an outside observer, or one not versed in the language of the Sith, Kylo Ren sounded like a man gone mad. But to anyone versed in said language, they would have bore witness to a truly chilling “conversation”. 

 

 

 

_“You cannot have her!"_

  
_“What makes you think that I want her?”_ Snoke, in all his decrepit glory was standing in the room where Kylo was chained up, his rotting face twisted with a smirk.   _“She is no longer useful to me, considering she would much rather end a pregnancy than carry an innocent child to term."_  


_“She was trying to protect our daughter from the likes of you. She was trying to do what my mother tried…"_

_“Your mother, as I recall, failed. You fought against me, admirably, for 20 years. But eventually, I got what I wanted. And now, you will serve your purpose. Your body is to become mine and through that body and that insufferable Emperor, I will rule this galaxy…finish what Palapatine could not. Does it pain you? That your bride killed your mother?"_

_“It does not. I would much rather preferred her to do it than me. She died believing I sent Ventress anyway. In the end, it does not matter. I have nothing left. You have robbed me of all that had meaning."_

_“Don’t be so stupid, **Ben**. Your life will have meaning. I intend to use your body until it rots, much like his current one."_

_“So that is what I was to you…what you raised me to be. A vessel."_

_“Correct. You’re much smarter than people give you credit for."_

Kylo spat at the floor, tugging at his chains.    _“She will not let you triumph. I have full faith in her."_  


Snoke actually laughed, a disgusting, ugly sound that made Kylo’s stomach turn.  _“Ventress is a beautiful woman. It’s a shame she  will have to die. I know her heart. She prays now to the Sith for the strength to kill you, but it is in vain. She will look upon my new face, **your**  face, and find herself unable to draw her weapon. She will beg and plead for you to return to her, just as that woman once begged Darth Vader to come back, but by then, you will be gone and I will be in control. And then, when I am sure she has fallen into despair, in front of all those wedding guests, I will snap her neck."_  


The sound Kylo made came from the depths of his chest, an inhuman roar as he tried to break the chains and lunge towards Snoke, only to be shoved back against the padded walls. He hit the wall with a dull sound and slumped forward, panting.  _“So, it’s not enough that you have to torment me, is it? You have to drag the Emperor into this as well?"_  


_“Hux is an arrogant, vain man. He will quickly forget her."_

_“With all due respect….and I do use that term loosely, I don’t think he will. Half the reason he agreed to their plan was out of affection for her. If you kill her…don’t expect him to let you live too much longer."_

_“If that foolish little ginger actually had the powers of the Force at his disposal, I would actually take such insanity seriously."_

Kylo actually smirked.    _“What makes you think that he doesn’t?"_  


This gave Snoke pause. _“What…what did you say?"_  


  
_“Oh, don’t play like you didn’t hear me. But in case you didn’t, allow me to repeat myself. I said…what makes you think that dear old Brendol Hux II, our beloved ginger Emperor, doesn’t have the Force at his disposal?”_ Every word dripped with an emotion Snoke could not place and there was a wild look in Kylo’s  eyes.  _“He simply does not know how to use it…but he uses it the same way my mother did…by voice.”_ There was a manic look in his eyes.   _“Don’t act so surprised…search **your** feelings for a change. You know this to be true."_  


Snoke inhaled sharply and for a brief moment, Kylo felt himself victorious. He smiled and then did the last act he would ever do under his own power.

 

 

_Ventress, my beloved, know that the last thoughts I have while my mind is my own, are of you and the love I have for you._

And with that, he closed his eyes and gave himself over to his fate. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...how about that wham line?!


	69. Codega

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're familiar with Reylux (Rey/Kylo Ren/Hux) fanfiction, then the title of this chapter should be familiar to you. 
> 
> This chapter is very long by comparison, and full of exposition, but with a couple of new characters to spice things up as Ventress tries to save her love. 
> 
>  
> 
> Also, would it be bad if there was a one off Hux/Ventress chapter? Yes? No?
> 
>  
> 
> Also, moving forwards, updates will be slower. I just got a new job and I start soonish and so this story will take a back seat.

Hux shouldn’t have been surprised when Ventress showed up at his door in the middle of the night in hysterics. And he was even less surprised by the first clear words out of her mouth: “He is lost to me."

 

 

He asks no questions, but pulls her into the room and locks the door behind her. He knows her handmaidens are not far off and trusts them to guard the doors. He embraces her, allowing her to sob into his chest, not knowing what else he can say or do to take the pain away.  “I am sorry,” he says, cursing Snoke for causing such pain and suffering. That was for his Empire to do, not some thing older than who knows what.  “I wish I could bear your pain."

 

 

 

Ventress said nothing; she only sobbed.  He let her cry until she passed out and then tucked her into bed and sat by his window, angrily smoking.  Now things had become more complicated. They would have to extract Snoke from Kylo Ren’s body somehow, but even that would be no guarantee of Kylo Ren returning to them. There was the very real possibility that Kylo Ren would have to die. And that would just break Ventress’ heart.

 

 

 

For the first time, the mighty Emperor of the First Order was at a complete loss as to what to do.

 

 

He smoked another cigarette and was exhaling when there was a knock at the door.  “Emperor? It’s Artemis. Is the Lady Ventress awake?"

 

 

“Enter,” Hux barked. 

 

 

Artemis entered and glanced over at the bed.  She looked very worried. “She cried for hours before she came to you, screaming in some language I don’t understand. I don’t know what’s happened. She refuses to tell me, but I do know someone who can help us."

 

 

“Have you come across someone who knows anything about a being older anything else I’ve ever encountered, one so old I can’t find him in any of the old Sith records? One who could possibly just be called a fucking parasite?"

 

 

“I have. She is an old acquaintance of Haru and myself. We worked for her once upon a time, but nowadays she has no need of us. However, we are never unwelcome in her court. She knows…things. I want to say she is quite old. Old enough to know exactly who or what Snoke is."

 

 

“You know about Snoke?"

 

 

“Haru and I listen. It’s what she pays us to do, after all. But we do not speak to others of what goes on. I have a feeling that no one would quite believe us.” Artemis bit her lip. “But we can take you to her, the woman who knows about him."

 

 

“Who is she?"

 

 

“Her name is Trinity. She is the ruler of a small principality on a distant planet, but she prefers to be called…The Duchess."

 

 

 

After delaying the wedding (he claimed Lady Rey had fallen quite ill), Hux gathered Ventress and her two handmaidens up and set off to the planet Shah, which was less like a planet and more like a city (kind of like Coruscant). They had absolutely no trouble arranging a meeting with “The Duchess”, who welcomed them with open arms. Her planet held very little love for the former New Republic after a series of botched trade deals and was eager to get into the Emperor’s good graces. 

 

 

Upon arriving, they were greeted by a short, dark haired woman with glasses and a rather severe expression. She carried herself with the air of a woman who took absolutely no bull from anybody and Hux and Ventress knew she was someone not to be crossed.

 

 

“My name is Storm,” the woman says, bowing to the Emperor. “And you must be Emperor Hux and…the Lady Rey, I presume? I thought you were taken with illness."

 

 

“For the sake of secrecy, I would prefer to wait until we meet with the Duchess before explaining things,” Ventress said.  “There are certain…things…we would rather not have other people know."

 

 

“I understand.” Storm replies, with a hint of a knowing expression.  “Well, then, let me more formally introduce myself. My name is Storm, and I am the Duchess’ bodyguard. No one sees or speaks to her without me knowing about it…unless she says otherwise.” Storm looked at Haru and Artemis.  “Good to see you again, Artemis…Haru. Last I heard you two were assassins on Corellia. How did you end up in the employ of the future Empress?"

 

 

“It’s kind of a long story, Storm, but I suspect you already know the truth,” Haru said. “After all…the Knights of Ren never managed to find you out."

 

 

Artemis rolled her eyes. “Hush!"

 

 

Ventress’ ears perked up and then her sensed took notice. “You…you’re…"

 

 

“Yes…I am.” Storm pulled her cloak aside to reveal the hilt of her lightsaber.  “But I am neither Jedi or Sith. I was born long after those orders fell. My education was unconventional, much like Luke Skywalker’s…and if you were able to sense my abilities…that means…” She cut herself off. “…I suppose you would rather keep that quiet. Come. I will show you to the Duchess. She has been expecting you."

 

 

 

The first thing Ventress and Hux noticed when they entered The Duchess’ throne room was that it was black and gold and very opulent. It gave the air of utter luxury, but felt very welcoming. For the first time in a long time, Ventress felt at peace in the large room, at ease.  But then, she felt it…an overwhelming presence in the Force. But this one was different than all the other ones she had encountered…in fact, it reminded her of what she had felt in the presence of Maz Kanata, long ago…not long before Kylo Ren entered her life and changed it forever. 

 

 

 

“My lady, the Emperor and his intended, they have come,” Storm stepped aside, allowing Ventress and Hux to get a good look at the woman known as “The Duchess”.

 

 

 

The woman seated on the throne possessed dark skin and equally dark eyes; eyes that seemed to be all knowing. Her braided hair was blacker that night itself and seemed to flow around her shoulders, framing her face. She was dressed in white with golden accents and upon seeing her guests, she rose from the throne and approached them, her gaze cautious, but curious.

 

 

“Is this.."

 

 

“Yes.” Haru replied. “This is Duchess Trinity."

 

 

 

“What a pleasure it is to welcome the First Order to my humble planet,” the Duchess said, her lips curling into a welcoming smile. “It is good to meet you, Emperor Hux.” She bowed.  “And you too, Lady Rey, or should I say…Ventress Ren, Mistress of the Knights of Ren."

 

 

Ventress froze and she and Hux looked at each other.

 

 

 

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” the Duchess replied, sensing their fears. “I won’t tell. I already know why you both are here.” She then turned her gaze to Haru and Artemis. “It’s so good to see you both again, Haru and Artemis and in such good employ. I hope they pay you well.” She then paused and looked closely at Ventress. “My dear Ventress, you look a mess. Please, follow me. We will talk in my private chambers. Not here."

 

 

 

The Duchess’ private quarters were even more welcoming than the throne room, even though it was covered with Sith and Jedi artifacts alike. Kylo Ren would have liked this room, Ventress observed. He probably would have liked the Duchess and her bodyguard as well.  The Duchess showed Hux and Ventress to comfortable chairs and told their handmaidens to leave them.  

 

 

“Ensure that we are not disturbed and any of you three suspect someone else of listening…” the Duchess’ face darkened for a moment, “…kill them. Immediately."

 

 

Storm bowed and left the room, Haru and Artemis in tow.

 

 

Once the door was shut, the Duchess turned to her guests.  “I suspect you both are here because of Supreme Leader Snoke, but first, I should explain who I am. And before you ask, I am human. I am just a very long lived human. My line traces its way back to the wars between the Jedi and the Sith. I know the Force, but was not trained the way I could have been if I was born in another time.  But I am old enough to know exactly who Snoke is and exactly why you are both here.”  She looked at Ventress. “He has taken hold of Kylo Ren…your actual husband."

 

 

Ventress nodded, trying not to cry. “He has. Kylo Ren is lost to me. I can no longer feel him through our Force Bond. His mind is gone. I can no longer reach him…"

 

 

“My heart aches for you.”  the Duchess hands Ventress a cloth to cry into.  “To lose the one you love to something that amounts to nothing more than a parasite…"

 

 

“Is that what he is?” Hux didn’t mean to interrupt, but he was curious. “A parasite?"

 

 

“When you get right down to it, that is exactly what he is. He is an entity as old as my family line, possibly older and old enough for him to not appear in any records of the Sith. But make no mistake, as you both suspect, he is very much Sith. He lied about his origins to throw off suspicion. After all, nobody believed Palpatine was a Sith in the Jedi order until the man actually snatched power.”  

 

 

The Duchess then sat down in a chair across from Ventress.   “I remember that…it was a nightmare. My planet and its people survived only because I was quick to allow trade with the Empire. Palatine was frighteningly powerful, as his master was and as long as I did what I was told, he left us largely alone.” She looked at Hux. “I do hope you won’t turn on us, Emperor. I am willing to do what is necessary to keep my planet peaceful and prosperous. I know how you operate.”  She smiled a little, but then her expression grew serious.

 

 

“Can you…” Hux was unsure how to word it. “…is it possible to extract Snoke from Kylo Ren? To save him?"

 

 

 

The Duchess sighed.  “It is possible, but I must warn you…both of you. There is no guarantee, even under the best of circumstances, that I will be able to save him. There is a chance by the time he resurfaces, and mark my words, he will, that Snoke will have taken his body over completely. And for obvious reasons, I imagine neither of you want a Snoke-In-Kylo-Ren’s-Body running around. Especially since he will have access to Kylo Ren’s considerable Force abilities.” 

 

 

Hux and Ventress looked at each other. Ventress looked as though she might break down all over again.  “So, there is no hope?"

 

 

“There is no such thing as no hope,” the Duchess said. “There is always hope. But I simply am urging you to be realistic, Ventress. There may be no saving Kylo Ren. You must be prepared and willing to let him go if I cannot save him."

 

 

Ventress exhaled. “I…I need to think about this."

 

 

“Of course.” the Duchess rose. “Come. Let me show you to a private room where you can rest. I imagine this is emotionally taxing for you to hear."

 

 

 

Once Ventress had left the room, the Duchess turned to Hux.  “Emperor…"

 

 

“If you’re going to ask her if I love her, the answer is yes."

 

 

The Duchess raised her eyebrow. “Well, that explains why you are helping her. A lesser man would have taken advantage of her in such a state."

 

 

“I am not a lesser man. My father may have been a man of questionable morals, but I am not. I refuse to be. No matter what they tell me.”  He looked out at the city and then at the Duchess. “My greatest desire is for her happiness. That is why I help her. That is why I beg you to try your best to bring Kylo Ren back and to banish that parasite Snoke. But I also understand if you cannot….if he is unable to be saved…” He swallowed. “…then I will finish the job. I will put him out of his misery."

 

 

“Why?” She asked.

 

 

“Because he asked me to. His last recording to me while he was still himself…he asked me to protect Ventress and Snoke wants her dead. But he also asked me, in his own way, to ensure that he does not suffer. Him suffering would cause her pain…and the last thing I want is to cause Ventress pain when she has already endured so much."

 

 

The Duchess was touched by this. “This is unusual, considering the sort of man your father was…He would call you weak."

 

 

Hux snorted.  “My father never knew love."


	70. Moment By Moment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 300+ comments (including a few of my own)?! WOW! I love you guys.
> 
> So, uh, about that Ventress/Hux thing...

Ventress does not sleep. The Force Bond does not allow her to.  Instead of the comfort of Kylo’s presence, all she “hears”, so to speak is loud noise. It is painful and deafening and it takes all of her self control not to allow her pain to overwhelm her. She knows that the second she allows herself to lose control is the second that she will utterly destroy everything in the room around her and possibly in the building.  She felt as though a great blistering wound had been clawed at her soul and no amount of time would ever make it go away. She would suffer for as long as she lived. 

 

 

Part of her wants to resign herself to her fate, a life without Kylo Ren, but with more power at her disposal than she could ever have hoped for. She knew Hux would treat her well as Empress. He had promised to never force her to consummate their marriage or produce him heirs. He did love her, in his own way. It wasn’t so bad. It could have been far worse.

 

 

A knock at the door invaded her thoughts and caused her to roll over on her side, deciding to feign sleep.  The door opened and then closed and then there were soft footfalls.  Suddenly, a warm presence reached out to her, trying to comfort her.  She felt more relaxed, only to realize that she’d felt this feeling before, but usually only in the presence of...

 

 

“Hux?”  She murmured, rolling over to see him standing by a lamp that he’d just turned on. 

 

 

 

“The Duchess wanted me to check on you,” he says, removing his gloves and undoing the cape on his white uniform. “She would have come herself, but she had some business to attend to and also figured that you’d probably had enough to handle without her.” He bit his lip. “Are you alright?"

 

 

Looking into blue eyes that were full of concern and honest affection, she found herself unable to lie.  “I am not. I cannot go through with it, Hux. I cannot allow her to do what I asked. I will do this myself."

 

 

“Ventress, you can’t do this yourself. That’s why we’re here. Snoke is far more powerful than even you. If you confront him, he will kill you. He will use your love for Kylo Ren to break first your heart and then your neck. Don’t be so foolish."

 

 

“Don’t you try to tell me what I can and cannot do. I will not allow you to shackle me down…"

 

 

“I am not trying to shackle you, I am trying to SAVE you. Kylo asked me to protect you. And protecting you means that I keep you from doing anything stupid. Facing Snoke, especially as you are now, means that you will almost certainly die by his hands.” 

 

 

She was about to fight him on this, but she knew he was right.  His fingers stroked her cheek, brushing away warm wetness and she looked into his eyes. “I’m afraid,” she confessed.  “I hurt."

 

 

“I know,” he pulled her into his arms to comfort her. “I wish I could take it away.”  He couldn’t explain it, but somehow he could feel her pain, her agony and her suffering and he wanted so much to just erase it, to take it on himself. 

 

 

A soft sob inched out of her throat. “If we cannot bring him back…if the Duchess fails…"

 

 

“Then I will take care of you.” 

 

 

The way he spoke made that sound more like a promise than anything else and when she looked up at him to question his thoughts, her voice was silenced by his lips pressing against hers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You’re going to try this…method, again, Duchess?”  

 

 

“When the Empress of the First Order appeals to you for help, the last thing you say to her is no.”  The Duchess wanted to ignore the voice speaking to her from the shadows of her study. She needed to concentrate on her work.  “I learned this a long time ago. The only way to ensure that Shah stays peaceful and prosperous is to do what is asked by powers greater than myself. This method has rarely failed me. "

 

 

“You should have told her the entire story,” the speaker emerged from the shadows to stand behind the Duchess. “Told her how you know Snoke. Told her this isn’t the first time you’ve tried to extract him from his host."

 

 

“She was already emotionally exhausted by me being honest with her about the chances. I am not a cruel woman. There was no need to torment her further.”  A pause.

 

 

The shadow had experienced this before. “What do you need from me, my love?"

 

 

“I need you to gather the remaining Knights of Ren. Now that their master has been…usurped, they will need to be near their mistress. Bring them here. But remember…she keeps her identities as Ventress Ren and Lady Rey separate. If they do not come, inform them that their mistress is ordering them here. But don’t hurt them. Am I understood?"

 

 

“Of course.” He was about to fade back into the shadows when she stopped him. “What is it?"

 

 

The Duchess rose from her seat and approached him.  She stroked his hair and looked into his eyes before kissing him tenderly.  “Extract yourself immediately if you encounter Snoke at all. I don’t know if he’s already undergone the process or if he is in hiding, getting used to it, but either way, he is dangerous. And you are valuable to me, just like Storm. Don’t engage him. Promise me that."

 

 

A deep sigh. 

 

 

“Please?” Her tone pleaded with him.  “Snoke has taken so much from me already. I don’t need him to take you, too."

 

 

“Alright, alright. I promise.”  He kissed the forehead. “Goodbye, Duchess. I will return soon."

 

 

“May the winds be favorable… _Winter._ ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, who wants to guess who was the inspiration for "Winter"?


	71. The Story of Tonight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 70 official chapters, 300+ comments, 100+ bookmarks and nearly 600 kudos? Guys, I'm touched (and floored).

Hux's kiss drowned out all of her thoughts and Ventress surrendered, sighing softly as he rolled them over onto her back, pale fingers stroking her face and sides to try to soothe her.  He tasted different from Kylo Ren. That much she knew. His kiss tasted of smoke and alcohol, but she found that comforting. She liked the difference. 

 

 

Suddenly, he broke off the kiss and she found herself aching for more. “I’m sorry…” He moved to let her go, only to find her hand wrapped firmly around his wrist.

 

 

“Don’t be.”  And then she pulled him back for more.

 

 

 

 

 

“You do plan to tell her the whole story, don’t you?”

 

 

The Duchess didn’t flinch. She was used to her two closest companions randomly appearing in her study and had learned not to let it bother her. She turned the page of her book.  “Do you and Winter decide to randomly meet up and compare notes or something, Storm? He told me the same thing before I sent him on an errand."

 

 

“Winter and I are concerned for you, Duchess. This is not the first time you have tried this and you have not been successful."

 

 

“Do you really think Ventress needs to hear that?"

 

 

“You need to be honest with her.”  Storm finally came out of the shadows fully and sat down at the table across from the Duchess.  

 

 

“I was. I told her there was a chance this wouldn’t work. And if you want to be honest…I think she already knows that.” The Duchess sighed. “She already knows it may be too late, but something in her refuses to stop hoping. I’m not going to tell her to stop hoping for a miracle. They do happen.” The Duchess furrowed her brow.  “Snoke can’t keep hiding and hijacking people’s bodies indefinitely. Eventually either that parasite will die the death he was supposed to or someone is going to shove him out."

 

 

Storm looked at her mistress. “What do you mean?"

 

 

“I believe our chances will be a bit better this time…after all, its not like we’re extracting him from some hapless low level Jedi or Sith. No this time, we’re extracting Snoke from Darth Vader’s grandson."

 

 

“You really think that makes a difference?”  Storm asked.

 

 

“I do. I met Anakin Skywalker. I’ve met Leia Organa. I have every reason to believe that Kylo Ren has a lot of power…and will spent a lot of time actively trying to force Snoke out. Most of Snoke’s victims don’t have the power to try to force him out. Kylo Ren does.” The Duchess shut her book. “But I harbor no illusions and neither does Ventress. But because she asked me and because she came here, I will try, Storm. I will do my very best to ensure Snoke does not ruin another life…does not break another heart."

 

 

“And if you fail?"

 

 

The Duchess gave her companion a hard look. “I don’t intend to."


	72. The Room Where It Happens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOTS of backstory for the Duchess in this one, folks, while I try to work out how exactly the "Force Exorcism" is going to go down.
> 
> Plus the Knights are back!

Under normal circumstances, Ventress would have been wracked with guilt, consumed by the thoughts of what Kylo would do if he ever found out. But she found herself unable to care. Kylo Ren was lost to her, and she, Ventress Ren, was without her soulmate.

 

 

And at the very least, she still had Hux to keep her company and comfort her. 

 

 

Hux lay beside her, smoking a cigarette and staring at the dark ceiling. “You have regrets."

 

 

“Not as many as I thought I would.” She curled up next to him. “I didn’t mean to drag you into my emotional hell."

 

 

“I was going to get dragged into it either way,” Hux sighed, surprised when she took his cigarette and took a drag off it.  “Do you feel better?"

 

 

She allowed herself a small smile. “I do."

 

 

He was about to answer her when there was a knock at the door. Storm was there, but she did not enter.  “The Duchess requests your presence for breakfast."

 

 

 

 

 

After breakfast, the Duchess took Ventress and Hux on a tour of her home, partially wanting to get into Hux’s good graces and partially because she rarely welcomed guests.  “My father, King Ghassan and my mother, Queen Regina, took power thousands of years ago after a very nasty civil war nearly divided the planet. In the millennia since, my parents fostered peace and prosperity, wanting to raise me and generations after me in a world without war. There were skirmishes and scuffles, but we largely stayed out of the conflicts that affected other parts of the galaxy, such as the wars between Sith and Jedi, the Clone Wars, and other things. My parents were skilled diplomats and thanks to them and the work of their court, Shah has remained peaceful, even when times were difficult.” The Duchess stopped in front  of a large panting depicting an older gentleman with dark skin and greying hair alongside a heavyset woman with kind eyes.  “These were my parents."

 

 

“They look so happy together.” Ventress noted. 

 

 

“They were. They had their differences, but my mother and father loved none but each other. When my mother passed away, my father vowed he would never again marry.  He reigned alone for the remainder of his life.” The Duchess smiled sadly up at the picture.  “I do miss them. Very much."

 

 

“But if your mother and father were king and queen, wouldn’t that make you Princess?”  Hux asked.

 

 

“Yes. And I am, in fact Princess. Now, I am Queen. But Duchess was a nickname given to me by a very old friend of mine and I adopted it. I decided to keep it, even as I was crowned Queen of Shah.”  the Duchess smiled.  “As I have said before, we are human, but we live incredibly long lifespans here.  I was born not long after the Sith were thought destroyed and became Queen right around the time when…oh, let me think…the Naboo blockade that lead to the Clone Wars happened. My father died around that time and I was consumed with grief, but almost immediately, I had to make sure that the war did not spread out here. We were a people in deep mourning and if you want me to be honest, I wanted nothing to do with the Republic at the time.  I had a bad feeling about the entire mess and wanted to stay out of it. I declared Shah a neutral zone, which nearly caused a riot in the Senate, but I held my ground. I sided with Senator Amidala. War was not a path I wanted to take.”   A pause. “That entire chain of events happened within the blink of an eye in terms of my life, but it was complete chaos.  We rode out the Clone Wars, but then the Empire rose to power. My people, they were scared. So was I. I was afraid of what would become of us, so I was quick to impress upon the Emperor that I wanted no trouble. I would do whatever as long as we were left to live our lives in peace. Some did not agree with me, but I insisted I was doing what was best for the people.  But strangely, the Empire did leave us alone. I imagine we’re too remote a world to care about, perhaps. “   

 

 

The Duchess looked at Hux and Ventress.  “But then the New Republic happened and well, that almost caused another civil war. The New Republic did not take kindly to the fact that we had ‘supported’ the Empire, despite my arguments, and the arguments of those in my government pointing out that we did it to keep our planet safe. I would much rather have been under the heel of Palpatine than facing his fist. And I met Darth Vader.”  The Duchess sighed. “That was one of the darker times in my reign. Some called for me to abdicate, but I refused. For one, I had only done what was necessary to protect my people.  And another thing was that I was far from the only planet the New Republic harassed this way. I was not exactly weeping at their destruction, you understand.”  She lead them through more rooms, showing off some more of her home’s history. 

 

 

 

Ventress noticed a glass container in the study that seemed to contain an organ of some sort. “Duchess, what is this? A trophy?"

 

 

“That…” the Duchess replied with a deep sigh. “…is the heart of the first man who broke mine. I decided to make an example out of him."

 

 

Ventress got a flash in her mind’s eye of a younger version of the Duchess with rage in her eyes.   “What happened?"

 

 

“I was young, I thought he loved me. He only wanted my power and wealth and betrayed me. So, I took my revenge. I keep his heart preserved to remind me of my past mistakes. He was lucky my father was no longer with us. My father would have mounted him on the wall of the throne room. I have since moved on. I have had many lovers. You employ one of them, after all.” A knowing wink. “And you’ll meet my current one when he returns with the Knights of Ren."

 

 

Ventress stopped dead. “You’re bringing them here? All of them?"

 

 

“Yes.” The Duchess looked at her. “They need to be near you.  You are their mistress after all. Kylo Ren has essentially dropped off the radar."

 

 

“Duchess, you do understand that I am trying to keep my identity as Ventress Ren a secret from the galaxy at large?"

 

 

“Oh, I do. But I also know Snoke and I know you will need greater protection than what Haru and Artemis can afford you."

 

 

This gave Hux pause.  “Duchess, if I may ask…how do you know Snoke?"

 

 

The Duchess stopped in front of a painting of her as a young woman and looked at him.  “You are not the first one to lose someone you cared about to his body jumping."

 

 

“He’s done this before?” Ventress asked.

 

 

“He has…and I have to admit to you, this is not the first time I’ve been asked to extract him from a body. I warned you before that there’s a chance this won’t work. Like I said, Snoke is older than most of the records of the Sith, which means he’s been at this for a very long time. My family has come into contact with him many times and in our quest  to stop him,  we developed the ritual that I plan to use. I have tried it and I have failed, but because of who he is inhabiting now, I am hoping I will be successful. Perhaps Kylo Ren will help us save him where others in his position could not."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not for the first time since their master had become “unavailable”, a fight had broken out amongst the remaining Knights of Ren. 

 

 

“We should be by the side of Ventress during these times.”   Bane Ren said. “If Kylo Ren is indisposed, we should not be here at the Citadel. We should be where she is."

 

“We cannot.” Oppress replied. “She has worked hard to make people believe Ventress Ren and Lady Rey are different people. Us being near her would ruin it."

 

 

“Perhaps if we got too close…” Traya interrupted. “But if we kept our distance, she would never know."

 

 

“Now if only we knew where she was right now…” Grevious said. “…we could be by her side. I don’t want anything to do with the monster that is Snoke in our master’s body. He’s ruthless, out of control. I fear for our  lives."

 

 

Just then, another voice came into the room, seeming to solve their problems. “Lucky for you then, that I was sent here by my mistress on behalf of yours to bring you all to her."

 

 

A youngish man dropped down from the ceiling at that statement, revealing himself to be clad mostly in black with long brown hair, piercing blue eyes and most interestingly, a cybernetic left arm made of a silvery material and bearing the emblem of the royal family of the planet Shah.  

 

 

Weapons were immediately drawn.  “Who are you?” Tryanus asked, holding up his mace.  “And how did you get here?"

 

 

The man raised his hands in surrender. “I mean you all no harm. I was sent here by my mistress to bring you to Ventress Ren. She is currently hiding out on the planet Shah and she could use her allies. She needs the Knights of Ren."

 

 

“That emblem on your arm…” Malek began. “…I’ve seen it before."

 

 

“What is it, Malek?”  Sidious asked.

 

 

“The man speaks the truth!” Malek said.  “That symbol his arm, the crown with wings, is the emblem of the royal family of the planet Shah, which means, he is in the service of the woman they call the Duchess. Only her most trusted servants bear that mark."

 

 

“The Duchess has asked me to bring you all to Ventress. I will only ask, and not use force.” the man said, keeping his hands in the air. 

 

 

“Is Ventress safe?”  Revan asked. “Is she alright?"

 

 

“Yes, she is safe. Now, please…will you come with me?"

 

 

“Only if you tell us who you are.” Tryanus didn’t lower his mace.  

 

 

“My name…is Winter.” the other man said, his grizzled face curving upwards into a smirk.  “And I am in service of Queen Trinity of the Planet Shah, or as your friend called her, the Duchess. She is hiding your mistress."

 

 

“Please…” Revan spoke for all of the Knights at that moment. “…take us to her."


	73. momentum

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still working out the hows and whys of the Exorcism, guys. So have an emotional moment from Ventress.

“Now that the Emperor is otherwise occupied…” The Duchess waited until Hux had left her and Ventress alone in the Duchess’ gardens before she began talking again. Hux had been called away by something important and had to leave Ventress with the Duchess and the Duchess had been more than happy to keep Ventress company.  “…we can talk more privately."

 

 

Ventress raised an eyebrow. “You’re hiding something."

 

 

“No, not hiding…walk with me…” the Duchess smiled.  “I want to tell you something."

 

 

 

Ventress was about to ask if it had something to do with Snoke, but the Duchess answered that for her.

 

 

 

“Winter and Storm, they wanted me to tell you sooner, but I, well, I wasn’t sure how well you would take it. But you’re stronger than I give you credit for, especially after hearing about where you came from. And if I am to help you, I must be willing to tell you everything.” The Duchess sighed.  “As I have mentioned, Snoke is an old entity, and a very old one at that. And you are hardly the first to lose her loved one to his body jumping. When I was young, I lost a lover to Snoke and unfortunately, I was unable to save him."

 

 

Ventress gasped, stopping as they walked along the path.  “No!"

 

 

“Yes…oh, how I tried. I begged my mother to teach me the ritual to extract him, but I was too young, my heart consumed by the need. Perhaps I was not strong enough in the Force, but my mother soothed me. She told me the ritual had only worked once, but all it had done was extract Snoke from the body and he was free to find a new one."

 

 

“What happened to the body left behind?” Ventress asked.

 

 

“It is a husk. A corpse. Something to bury,” the Duchess admitted, sadly. “I don’t know what Snoke does to the mind left inside the body. I like to think he consumes it. Either way, he overpowers the host and simply takes it over. This is the fate that has by now, most likely befallen Kylo Ren…with one key difference."

 

 

Somehow, Ventress knew what the Duchess meant. “His lineage."

 

 

“I met Anakin Skywalker, both before and after he became Darth Vader. I was one of the few who possessed such knowledge. He was a presence in the Force, a tremor, if you will, unlike any I have seen before or since. His daughter, Leia Organa, was the same, but her presence was less overt, probably because she chose not to use it. I imagine Kylo Ren is very powerful."

 

 

“He is, actually.” Ventress thought back to all the time they had spent together, training in the Force. “He is capable of doing amazing things.” She turned away to look at some of the more interesting plants around her.  “…but his heart…his heart was mine alone."

 

 

“You love him…I understand."

 

 

“You don’t know, Duchess…I came from…I had nothing. He found me, he offered me power and he elevated me to levels I never thought I could dream of. Everything I am, all I have done, he helped me. He encouraged me. I am Ventress because of him. I can’t…” she was having trouble finding the words. “…I can’t imagine my life without him and I will tear this galaxy apart if it will make Snoke relinquish his hold.” She then looked at the Duchess, eyes slightly wild. “Teach me the ritual. Let me do it."

 

 

The Duchess saw her much younger self in those eyes and found she could not allow Ventress to do this. “I cannot. This ritual, it is a guarded family secret and even if I could allow you to perform it, it is not always going to work. I don’t want you to suffer the way I have suffered."

 

 

Ventress grabbed the Duchess’ arm. “What do you know about my suffering?!"

 

 

Knowing that Ventress was in pain, the Duchess didn’t react. “More than you think, Ventress. I have been where you are. I have felt what you felt. I know all too well the desire for vengeance. But it was because I was consumed with rage, vengeance and hatred for Snoke that my first attempt to save the one loved failed.  Your mind must be clear in order to give you the best chance to drive him out. As you are, Ventress, you will end up where I was and I cannot let that happen to you. I will do the ritual.” There was a hint of finality in her voice mixed with the regalness she tended to exude as the ruler of Shah.  “Do you want to truly lose Kylo Ren? Because if you do it as you are now, you will lose him and he will lose you."

 

 

Ventress pulled her hand back. She knew the Duchess was right.  “You’re…you’re right. I’m sorry…I just…I feel helpless. It’s a feeling I’m not used to."

 

 

“I understand.” The Duchess pulled Ventress into a hug. “I promise, I will do everything I can to help you."

 

 

For the first time, or at least, for the first time in front of someone other than Hux, Ventress then allowed herself to cry. 


	74. Reu-Knighted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How about that title pun! 
> 
> Also, I start my new job on Monday, so depending on how hard I am worked and how much I work, updates will be coming more slowly. Possibly.

“I hate to disturb you, Duchess…” It was the first time Ventress had been alerted to the presence of the other woman, “…but I have some news for you that I think you might like."

 

 

The Duchess looked up as Ventress tried hastily to hide her face.  She didn’t want anyone to see her crying.  

 

 

“What news, Storm?” the Duchess asked.  

 

 

 

“Winter is coming."

 

 

 

“Winter?” Ventress asked.  

 

 

 

“My lover.” The Duchess replied with a hint of a smile.  “Well, the latest in a long, long, long line of them, actually. And if he’s here, then that means that he’s brought the Knights of Ren with him. Hopefully."

 

 

 

“I confirmed with him. He managed to get all…how many are there…."

 

 

 

“10.” Ventress answered. “Each one named after either a Sith lord or someone connected to the Sith.” Something stirred in her.  “He managed to bring them all here?"

 

 

“And without a fight, surprisingly. He was a little stunned by that.”  Storm was about to say more when Ventress interrupted her.

 

 

“Where are they?"

 

 

Storm smirked.  “Follow me."

 

 

 

Ventress had never been so relieved to see ten black figures disembark from a ship in her entire life.  She watched silently in her finery as a strange man, probably the aforementioned “Winter”, got off the ship and rushed right into the arms of the Duchess.  But then, when she saw her Knights, all ten, all together, she almost began to cry.

 

 

When they approached her, they all knelt and Tyranus spoke to her.  “I am sorry for our absence, my lady. But I assure you, from this point on, we will never be far from your side."

 

 

“Thereby ruining the masquerade for Hux and his grab for power and ruining what little chance we have to eliminate Snoke…” Malek muttered.  

 

 

“Before you are Empress…” If Revan was glaring at Malek, he couldn’t tell.  “…you are our mistress and we your devoted servants. Tell us what we must do."

 

 

Ventress smiled, just a little.  “Protect me, but remember, you must do it from the shadows. Haru and Artemis..” She gestured behind her. “…they are my visible shields, but you all, my invisible ones. Be my shields, but also my fists.” But then, she remembered something more important.  “Tell me, Revan. What has become of my love?"

 

 

Revan removed his mask and Ventress was floored by a handsome man with dark skin, piercing eyes and white hair.  He bit his lip.  “He is lost to us all, my lady.” 

 

 

Ventress staggered. Artemis was there to help her stand.

 

 

“I am sorry, my lady,” Revan murmured.  “But he vanished into the depths of the Citadel some time ago and none of us have seen or heard from him since."

 

 

“Unless you count the unholy screaming…” Tyranus added.  “And the one time we did see him, he was not himself."

 

 

“Tell her the truth, for the sake of the Gods!” Bane was exasperated. “We think that Snoke has taken over Master Kylo’s body and is currently hiding in the Citadel for unknown reasons.”  Bane unmasked to reveal a man with eyes like stars and skin like cream.  “My lady, we don’t know what’s become of him. But the one time  we did, he…” A pause. “Well…he looked like a man gone mad and I began to fear for our lives."

 

 

 

Ventress inhaled sharply and she looked at the Duchess.  

 

 

 

“So, he’s done it,” the Duchess mused. “Snoke took his body, but apparently, is having a little trouble with the mind. This gives me an opening."

 

 

 

“If you don’t mind my asking,  Duchess, what are you talking about?”  Tyranus chose to unmask as well, revealing silver hair with eyes to match. “Do you know something about what’s happened?"

 

 

 

“I do, in fact. And I imagine that you’re all very eager to know what it is. But first!” The Duchess beamed. “I bet you’re all starving. Why don’t we have lunch?"

 

 

The Knights all looked at each other and then back at Ventress.

 

 

Ventress smiled. “Lunch sounds wonderful."


	75. Helpless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the time of this writing I am merely hours away from starting a new job. And what am I doing? Trying to get a new chapter up for my adoring fanbase.
> 
> This is why iced coffee was invented, people.

“I see the Knights have returned,” Hux was only half pleased by this development, but decided not to show it.  “You must be pleased."

 

 

“I should be…but I’m not. Because of what Bane said. Snoke has taken Kylo from me and I am running out of time to get him back.”  As they were talking, Ventress was being fitted for her wedding gown.  Unlike the first one, this one was pure white with golden accents and made her look more beautiful than ever in the eyes of Hux. But in her own eyes, it paled in comparison to the black gown she’d worn when she married Kylo Ren. “…I almost…” She looked at herself in the mirror. “…I almost don’t want to go through with this."

 

 

“You don’t have to,” Hux spoke suddenly. “We don’t have to go through with this. We can call it off."

 

 

“You…you would do that?”  She was confused. “But your coronation?"

 

 

“I don’t need you to be Emperor. You can leave this at any time and I will promise your safety. I can lie. I will lie. I will do anything to protect you. You can just go whenever you need to. I won’t judge."

 

 

Ventress considered this for a moment, but found she couldn’t just back out. Hux would be a laughingstock and no one would take him seriously.  But then, another reason dawned on her, spurring her to keep going.  “We can use the wedding as a trap."

 

 

“A trap?” 

 

 

“Yes. Lure him out of wherever he’s hiding and allow the Duchess to perform the ritual. And if we can’t force it out…” She stops. She looks up at him, a vision of beauty, something Hux desperately wants to keep all to himself.  “You said you’d protect me. Do you mean it?"

 

 

 

He sounded more like a man in love than he meant to.  “I would do anything for you."

 

 

 

“You are a far kinder man than your title suggests,” she remarks, echoing what she had said to him in the temple, stepping down from the pedestal and walking towards him in her dress and making his heart positively ache with every step.  “You’re not completely heartless."

 

 

He almost wished he was. It would make loving her hurt him so much less.  He enjoyed having her to himself, but he also hated seeing her in so much pain.  “If he cannot be saved…"

 

 

She pressed her fingers to his lips, hushing him. She knew what he would say next. “You would do that?"

 

 

He took her hands in his own and repeated, “I would do anything for you..anything to spare you the pain of having to do it yourself.”  

 

 

“So then it’s settled,” she says. “The show must go on."

 

 

“Yes,” he agrees.  “The show must go on."

 

 

The way she looks up at him makes his heart stop and he is unable to stop himself before he kisses her again.  The kiss overwhelms them both and she finds herself sighing happily against his lips.  

 

 

He knows this can’t last. But he’s determined to enjoy it while it does.


	76. Satisfied

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM RUNNING ON COFFEE AND DETERMINATION AND I AM ABOUT TO BREAK YOUR FUCKING HEARTS

_Ventress awoke slowly and was disorientated. She was back in her room on the Assaji, under a sky full of stars...and Kylo was beside her._

_Ventress was confused. Had time rewound itself? Cautiously , she reached out to him and ran her fingers through his hair and then along his face. He felt real._

_Her heart leapt into her throat and she suddenly was struck with regret. She now remembered what had driven her into the arms of Hux..._

_“Oh, how I’ve missed you by my side…” She murmured, curling up against his warm skin.  Her fingers ran along his arms and face and through his hair. How much time had passed since Snoke had begun to cut them off and it had become hard to reach him? How utterly alone had she felt by Hux’s side without Kylo’s presence to soothe her?  “…how I’ve missed this.”_

_A year? Maybe more?_

_And now, when she tried to reach out of him, instead of noise, there was stone silence. The silence was deafening and she tried her hardest to drown it out with Hux’s warm kisses and declarations of a love she could never find it in her to return._

_“I love you,” she murmured, words she could never say to Hux, but only to Kylo Ren._

_He was silent, and she nudged him a bit, only for him to sort of flop over on his back revealing to her a gaping wound where his heart should be._

_Ventress screamed._

_“ **Perhaps you should have told him that before I took him away,** ”  The voice was low in her ear, sinister.  “ **I hope you're satisfied**."_


	77. The World Turned Upside Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Hamilton references (the title) and also, a MAJOR one in the form of the lover the Duchess had in the past.
> 
> I wrote this during work training, but again, since my shifts are basically eight hours at a time (or nine), so not much time for writing because I am EXHAUSTED by the time I get home. (I work at a home improvement store). But I don't know how I got this chapter out...
> 
> Anyway, this is another backstory for the Duchess and yeah, I know I'm kind of delaying, because I need to get to the whole "Force Exorcism" thing and that's going to take some thinking...
> 
>  
> 
> Ah well. I'll figure it out.

It wasn't right, sneaking into the Duchess's study and stealing the tome she needed, but Ventress felt that she had no choice. She could no longer wait. She had to go to the Citadel.

 

What she wasn't expecting was for the Duchess to be waiting for her at her docked shuttle. But even this didn't bother her.

 

"Under normal circumstances, I would have you arrested for stealing, but I really don't feel like starting a war with the First Order," the Duchess sighed. "The book, Ventress. Return it."

 

Ventress held the old tome tightly to her chest. "No. I told you. I will do it."

 

"Then you will fail," the Duchess replied. "You will lose not only the man you love, but also, quite possibly, your life."

 

"I don't care!" Ventress yelled. "It's bad enough that I let my loneliness drive me into the bed of another, and now you tell me that I cannot be the one to save him? Are you mad?! No, I won't just stand aside, I refuse! Now Duchess, kindly move out of the way..."

 

"Or what?"

 

"Move or be moved. I won't ask again."

 

The Duchess stood firm. "Give me the book, Ventress."

 

"Over my dead body."

 

The Duchess sighed. She really, really _really_  didn't want to pick a fight with Ventress, but the other woman just would not yield. "Ventress, the book... please, you don't understand what the book means to me."

 

 

  
_That_ got Ventress' attention. "What do you..." She then took a good look at the book in her hands.

 

 

The book was a thick black leather bound time with aged pages and a strange crest on the cover. The crest seemed to depict a tiara around a heart. It felt warm to the touch, like it was well loved.

 

 

"...that book belonged to my mother," the Duchess began. "It is one of the few things from her family line to survive the war that made her Queen . She passed it along to me when she died. It is important to me because it is the only thing she left me," A pause. "That's her family's crest on the cover."

 

 

Ventress looked nervously at the book and then back at the Duchess. Then, realizing she couldn't deprive the Duchess, who'd been so kind to her, of her family heirloom. She handed the book over. "I just...I want..."

 

 

The Duchess decided to spare Ventress. "Tell me about the dream." 

 

 

"...and then, when I rolled him over, there was a gaping wound where his heart was.....and then Snoke told me that he hoped I was satisfied," Ventress  was either in the verge of tears or a total mental breakdown as she stared into her teacup. They had returned the Duchess' private quarters. "And that's when I knew I could no longer delay. I _must_ get back to the Citadel. I have to save Kylo. You don't understand...I miss him...I need him...I..I...I love him. From the depths of my soul, I love him. I...I have to save him."

 

 

"Oh Ventress...I do understand," the Duchess murmured. She sipped her tea. "Snoke stole the body of my lover, remember?" A sigh. "Perhaps I should tell you that story..."

 

Ventress looked up. "What happened?"

 

 

"His name was Lin-Manuel...he was a very talented poet, a musician...an artist. He was beloved by so many, but most of all by me. I met him at a performance he'd put on for my family. I was smitten almost at first blush and luckily for me, so was he. We fell in love. It was bliss...oh, I was so happy." There was a dreamy smile on the Duchess' face as she recalled happier memories. 

 

 

If Ventress focused on the Force around them, she could almost see the Duchess’ memories of Lin. She saw a younger Duchess, with sparkling dark eyes holding hands with a young man with long dark hair and kind eyes who looked at her as though she was the most beautiful thing in the world. It touched Ventress’ heart to see such love and affection.

 

 

"Did Lin-Manuel make you happy?'

 

 

"Oh he did. so much. I had had many suitors by that point, but almost all of them wanted my hands for political reasons, but not for love. Lin, as I called him, wanted to marry for love. And so, he asked me to be his bride, knowing it would cause talk. After all he had come from nothing. How was he worthy of my hand? I'll tell you: it was because he treated me with kindness. He was caring and loving and adoring...a shame then that the people didn't ‘approve’ of him.” 

 

 

 

 

The Duchess paused. "But that didn't stop Lin. Not at all. So, I agreed  to be his wife. And soon, the wedding day came...and that is when everything went right to hell."

 

"How?"

 

 

"Snoke took Lin's body at some point before the wedding and then used it to shamelessly ruin my wedding day. I was left alone at the altar, heartbroken, depressed and _shaking with rage._ " There was a hint of anger in her voice. “So then, I, full of rage and despair, begged my mother to teach me the ritual so that I could save Lin. Mother was reluctant, you see...

 

 

Ventress took a sip of her tea. “Why?"

 

 

“My mother, through her family line, was, well, she was clairvoyant. As a rule, she would always tell me the future was always in flux, in motion, and that it wasn’t set. But she’d seen Lin’s future…and it wasn’t pretty."

 

 

Ventress looked shocked.

 

 

“However, I would not be stopped, so Mother taught me, and I set off on a mission, alone, to save my love from the clutches of Snoke,” the Duchess’ expression almost broke Ventress’ heart. “But, I was too young. I was not ready. Despite everything….” She looked down. “…Lin was gone. All that was left of my beloved was a body to bury. I drove Snoke out, but by then, Snoke had already devoured Lin’s mind, heart, and soul.”   

 

 

Ventress could almost see the Duchess holding Lin’s body and screaming into nothing. 

 

 

 

“…I brought him back here and buried him. I visit him every year on his birthday and sing the song he wrote for me,”  the Duchess looked as though she might cry. “…That was a thousand years ago…There is not a day that goes by during which I don’t miss him,”  a  deep sigh.  “I have had many lovers in the years since Lin-Manuel died, but none I loved as much as I loved him. I haven’t even been able to bring myself to take on a proper suitor to give my hand to and marry. It felt like I would be betraying him if I did, even though I know he would want me to be happy again."

 

 

Ventress now looked as though she would also cry.

 

 

“But do you know what the worst part of this all is? I could have easily died just performing the ritual. But, I knew the risks, and still, I did it. All I could think about was Lin.” A bitter laugh. “…if only I had listened to my mother…"

 

 

There was along moment of silence as the two sipped from their teacups. 

 

 

“I’m sorry,” Ventress said.

 

 

 

“Don’t be. You didn’t know. It’s okay.” A deep, resigned sigh. “I just…I thought talking about it would be easier after all this time. Even hearing rumors of a revival of one of Lin’s many works hurts me sometimes. I Just ache inside from all those memories of watching him write, of hearing him sing. How I wished I had just listened…then Lin might…"

 

 

“You said yourself that he was only a shell by the time you reached him,” Ventress hoped she didn’t sound cruel, but the pain in the Duchess’ Force signature was too much and she just wanted to hug the heartbroken ruler. “Would it…would it have made a difference?"

 

 

The Duchess bit her lip.

 

 

Ventress decided not to press. “Lin-Manuel must have been a very special man."

 

 

“That he was…” the Duchess smiled weakly. “That he was…"


	78. Inklings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M NOT DEAD!
> 
> The job didn't pan out and I needed some time to recharge my batteries, but here's the first indication of the changing endgame for this story.
> 
> Yeah, the chapter's short, but I felt a longer chapter would ruin the basic idea.
> 
> And yes, before anyone asks, Kylo is still "alive". I'm just...saving him.

The more Ventress sat and allowed herself to think about it, the less she wanted to go trough with the wedding. It was clear that all of their planning and thinking had gone absolutely to hell in a hand basket and now she was facing the incredibly likely prospect of having to fight Snoke-In-Kylo-Ren…or, even worse, being forced to kill him. 

 

 

There was no killing just Snoke…at least, not anymore. 

 

 

 

 

“My lady, you can’t keep avoiding Emperor Hux,” Haru and Artemis had often found themselves spending a lot of their time trying to keep Ventress occupied and away from the Emperor, but the capital city of Shah was only so big and he would only accept excuses for so long.   “You have to talk to him.”  Haru was concerned for her mistress.  

 

 

“And say what, exactly?” Ventress was looking out a window.  “Admit that I slept with him out of desperation? That I can’t love him in return the way he does me? That I can’t go through with this blasted wedding even after all this posturing? It makes me look like I am playing him for a fool."

 

 

“With all due respect, my lady, he already knew all of those things.” Haru was nothing if not observant.  “He plays at being heartless and incapable of feeling, but he does feel. And he’s worried about you precisely because he loves you."

 

 

“That line of thinking is going to get him killed at some point…” Ventress muttered. 

 

 

Unbeknownst to both of them, the Duchess’ other servant, Winter (who was exceptionally talented at being her eyes and ears without tipping anyone off) was listening.  Hearing that Ventress no longer wanted to go through with the planned wedding gave him an idea. It was an idea his mistress was unlikely to agree to, but an idea nonetheless. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“She doesn’t want to go through with the wedding?” the Duchess wasn’t exactly surprised. 

 

 

 

“It sounds like it, but the wedding is essential to the trap. Someone has to get married and Snoke just has to think it’s Ventress so he will show up."

 

 

“You have an idea, Winter. Out with it."

 

 

“My lady, forgive me, but why don’t YOU marry Emperor Hux?"


	79. The Emperor & The Duchess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't think Ventress is going to be let off the hook for sleeping with Hux! I'm going to deal with that once Kylo comes back into the story. 
> 
>  
> 
> But for now, we need to get to the Exorcism, and I am now getting the inspiration for making it happen.

“You want me to call off the wedding?”  Hux was more a little confused.  

 

 

“Oh, I didn’t say call off the wedding entirely, Hux…I just said call off the wedding to Ventress. You can still have a wedding, but you just need to marry someone else.”  The Duchess put down her wine glass.  She had, at the insistence of Winter, invited Hux, to a private dinner and was trying to tell him the plan. But Hux, for all of his intelligence, seemed very dense.  

 

 

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve already committed to the wedding. There’s money, and time and planning…"

 

 

“And a very unwilling bride.” the Duchess interrupted.  “Brendol, be honest, you know in your heart that Ventress doesn’t love you and as it is right now, she can’t marry you. She doesn’t want to. It’s not because of you. It’s because…"

 

 

“I know it’s because of Kylo.” Hux was not a complete idiot. “She loves him. Not me. She agreed to this because it would give us a chance to kill Snoke. But now, even that is uncertain.” He sighed.  

 

 

“So if there’s no reason for you to marry Ventress, call the wedding off. She doesn’t like playing with your emotions and I imagine you can only keep a facade up for so long…but on the other hand, I do have a suggestion to save face."

 

 

“And what would that be?"

 

 

The Duchess downed her drink before continuing.  “I suggest a political pairing. A marriage of convenience if you will.  My planet, we are small, we don’t have much. But I do still weld power in certain areas of the galaxy.  You combine your strength, the First Order’s might with my political power and we could be unstoppable."

 

 

“You’re offering yourself?"

 

 

“Yes. Why is that so surprising?"

 

 

“Because you said at one point that you would marry for love, not for power."

 

 

The Duchess’ expression changed to one of surprise, but then she averted her dark eyes.  “My chance to married for love died a thousand years ago. I am much older now. I can no longer afford to put off marriage. So, it would be prudent for us to be allies."

 

 

 

Hux was surprised at first. He took a long sip of his wine.

 

 

The Duchess wasn’t exactly surprised by his silence.    

 

 

The room was very quiet for a moment.   “Why are you doing this?” Hux asked.

 

 

“Because, Brendol…I am afraid. Afraid for what will become of my home and my people if something were to happen to me.” She was thinking about the ritual. There was a chance that even if she was able to force Snoke out and seal him into someplace that he would never be able to get out of, that she would perish and leave her people alone and defenseless and most importantly…without her and her protection.  “The Exorcism, there’s a chance…I cannot just possibly die without having a plan! So, here is my plan. You become my husband, my prince consort. You inherit a powerful ally in this region of the galaxy and I gain a powerful husband.  We both benefit."

 

 

“And Ventress?”  

 

 

 

“I’ll be honest. I’ve seen into her heart…and not having to worry about the trap will be good for her. After all, we don’t need to tell anyone we’re switching the bride. Snoke will still come and then we can finish him off. He’ll come as long as he believes Ventress is getting married. She is spared from having to marry you when her heart is truly not in it, you gain a valuable ally and wife and I gain a powerful husband and are spared your own pain. In one way or another, we all win."

 

 

 

She refused to accept any other outcome.  “We will all win. What do you say, Emperor? Do you agree?"

 

 

He looked at her for a long moment before downing the rest of the wine.

 

 

“I agree."


	80. Trapped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM GOING TO RIP YOUR HEARTS OUT!!!

Even now, Kylo Ren still thought about Ventress. He could not longer speak to her or see her or even feel her through the Force (the bond had been severed when Snoke took control of his body), but still, he thought about her.  He couldn’t speak for himself anymore and had resigned himself to being a silent observer in his own body, but his thoughts were mostly of Ventress.

 

 

Was she safe? Was she alive? Was Hux keeping his word to protect her?  He couldn’t be sure, but he had heard rumors that Hux was off visiting a woman called “The Duchess” and that Ventress had disappeared, as had the rest of the Knights of Ren, so he allowed himself to hope that Ventress was alright. 

 

 

He wondered if this was how Darth Vader had felt, trapped in his suit, unable to move freely. Only able to silently watch.

 

 

Kylo thought that his sentence, his punishment for giving into jealousy and anger and not believing Ventress or listening to her, was far worse. After all, Darth Vader had still lived, was still able to move his body.

 

 

Kylo Ren had no such luxury. 

 

 

 

Snoke had taken his body, but he would not take his soul. The part of him that was still, well him, still lived. 

 

 

_I will not let you kill her, even if I have to die to do so.  Ventress is my entire galaxy. She is mine and I am hers and nobody, not even you, Snoke, can destroy it._

 

 

But then he remembered how scared she’d looked when he was starting to slip a little and he wondered if she loved him still.  He worried that perhaps he’d scared her away. 

 

 

_No, I couldn’t have…but I should have listened to her. I should have looked into her heart when she demanded me to do so and listened to her voice. She wanted to let me know she loved me. And I didn’t hear her..._

 

But then, he heard something…he felt something.  

 

 

_Ventress?_

And then, something flooded his soul. It was warm, it was bright…it was...

 

 

  
_Her love…._  The warmth flooded him, almost bringing him back to “life”. _It’s her love!_  


She still loved him, and now that love was finally, finally reaching him. It gave him hope.

 

 

_Just wait, my love. I will find a way to break this curse and return to you. I promise._


	81. Interludes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I had to throw out my entire planned endgame because it just wasn't working...ugh, this story is just too much sometimes.
> 
>  
> 
> I wonder if anyone is still reading it...

When Storm finally found Ventress, the Knight was in the archives of the palace, reading through old holocrons and other things.  

 

 

“I thought I would find you down here…” Storm’s voice startled Ventress and caused her to look up from whatever it was she was reading.  “I have good news for you. The Duchess will be taking your place as the Empress of the First Order."

 

 

“Hux actually agreed to it?"

 

 

“Well, I wasn’t in the room where it happened, the Duchess informed me that she made a compelling argument for a political marriage. Hux gets access to Shah, a small but politically viable planet considering its long history, and the Duchess gains a powerful husband and more importantly, for her, a companion.” Storm sighed. “And trust me, the way things are going, she could use a companion who isn’t trying to either protect her or, as Winter does, spy for her."

 

 

 

Ventress saw a little bit of the Knights she was closest to in those words. “You worry about her."

 

 

“The Duchess, she….she is old. She has never told me exactly how old, but she’s lived for a long time, and for a good part of that long time, she’s been alone. Well, not entirely, as she did have her mother and father, but once her father passed away, she only had me, and then she had Winter.  She’s had some lovers come and go, but I imagine…”  Storm sighed. “I really, really, shouldn’t be telling you this, Ventress, but I imagine, you might understand better than I do."

 

 

“You’re talking about Lin-Manuel.” There was a sudden, sharp ache in Ventress’ chest. 

 

 

“I came into the Duchess’ life long after he passed away and if the rumors I’ve heard from those who knew her at the time are true, she has never recovered from that event. I  imagine it’s what drove her to want to help you…to try to atone for her failure."

 

 

“It wasn’t her fault.”   Ventress felt as though she was speaking more about herself than the Duchess. 

“She did everything she could."

 

 

“She doesn’t believe so.”  Storm sighed. This had clearly weighed on her for a while. “And her grief and sadness and pain hang over her. It clings to her like a miasma of sorrow. I’m sure you’ve felt it."

 

 

Ventress had, on the occasions where the ache in her soul from the severing of the Bond with Kylo Ren didn’t overwhelm her, felt what Storm was talking about.  The Duchess, when she wasn’t wearing white for greeting guests, seemed to dress like she was constantly in mourning.  There was definitely a cloud over the woman.  

 

 

“…has she really been holding on to such pain for such a long time?"

 

 

“She has and it concerns me,” Storm sighed. “Perhaps helping you and taking your place in the wedding is her way of trying to move on."

 

 

 

Ventress’ heart clenched.  “Where is she now?"

 

 

 

“In the gardens."

 

 

 

Figuring now was as good a time as any to go speak with the Duchess, Ventress headed out into the gardens.  

 

 

 

The quiet of the gardens soothed her some, but not much. She kept wondering and worrying, her mind drifting off into other places.  She kept imagining Kylo’s leather-clad hand in her own, the calming presence of him by her side, the reassurance through the Force that he was there and everything was as it was supposed to be.  

 

 

She wondered to herself if this is the pain the Duchess held on to. The pain of feeling broken, lost and alone. 

 

 

Is this what it was like to lose your soulmate?

 

 

 

Suddenly, out of nowhere, she felt a tight pressure on her neck, as though the air was being forced out of it. Panic and fear filled her and she felt her hands reach up, trying to relieve the pressure. Slowly, it became harder and harder and harder to breathe.

 

 

Her eyes widened in terror.  What…what was happening?

 

 

 

 

“Don’t be afraid….” A voice spoke to her. It was low, sinister and heartbreakingly familiar.  “…I feel it, too."


	82. Ghost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, knowing people still like this story is always a nice thing to read. I'll try to be less emo, guys.

Those words…that voice… Ventress’ heart clenched and ached and she felt like she would have probably collapsed if she wasn’t choking.   _No, please…don’t…don’t..._  


“You know, the second I heard you were meeting with the Duchess, I had to come find you,” it was Snoke speaking now, but he was using her beloved’s voice to do it.  “I figured you’d be trying to extract me from my new body. The Duchess, my old foe, she’s one of the few who knows how to get me out. You understand, my dear Ventress…I can’t let that happen."

 

 

Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes as she tried desperately to break the Force hold. Suddenly, Ventress felt another presence int he Force. This one was slightly stronger than Snoke and was enough to force him to loosen his grip.  Ventress collapsed to the ground, gasping for air and holding her neck. 

 

 

There was a rustle of plants behind her.  Then, a voice tinged with fury spoke.  “ _Snoke._ "

 

 

At the mention of his name, “Snoke” dropped the hood to reveal his face. Much to Ventress’ horror, he was wearing Kylo Ren’s face, only it was much paler and even more gaunt than she remembered it being. His eyes were a sick yellow color and the sight of the face Ventress had loved so much twisted and sickly made her want to vomit. 

 

 

“Snoke” smirked.  “Speak of the devil…or should I say, speak of the Duchess…"

 

 

The Duchess then made her appearance next to Ventress, kneeling beside the fallen Knight to check on her.  “Are you alright, Ventress? Did he hurt you?"

 

 

Ventress coughed, air slowly returning to her lungs.  “No…at least not…” she looked up at “Snoke’s” face and then looked back down into the dirt. 

 

 

“It’s good to see you again, _Trinity_.” “Snoke” chuckled. “How long has it been?”  His voice then changed to one Ventress didn’t recognize.  “A thousand years since I saw you last? Of course, then, I was wearing someone else’s face. You remember…don’t you?"

 

 

Through the Force, Ventress could feel the Duchess’ steadily mounting fury, but underneath it was her heartache. Hearing this new voice hurt her somehow...

 

 

“Don’t you use his voice!” the Duchess shouted. “How DARE you…”  Suddenly, “Snoke” was sent flying, landing with a dull thud in the dirt.  The miasma of pain, of the sorrow and hurt that the Duchess had been feeling had morphed itself into power and a fine, pure, white hot rage that had been boiling inside her for well over a millennia.  “HOW DARE YOU! You arrogant, despicable, loathsome…”  “Snoke" went flying a few more feet and was struggling to stand when the Duchess began screaming at him in what sounded to Ventress like Sith.

 

 

 

 

 

By this point, Ventress had gotten her air back, and had managed to get herself to her feet. She recognized those words. The Duchess was beginning the exorcism. And it was the absolute worst time for her to do it. They weren’t ready. Even if they did force Snoke out, he would be free to find another body and the cycle of misery would just begin again.

 

 

“Duchess, wait!” Ventress grabbed her arm. “Don’t do this!"

 

 

“I have waited a thousand years to put this loathsome creature in his place…” the Duchess would not be moved, even by sanity. “I will not let him escape me!”  She began screaming in Sith now and “Snoke” began writhing in the dirt. 

 

 

But then, just as the Duchess inhaled to continue, she was thrown, violently, across the gardens, the wind being knocked clear out of her by “Snoke"

 

 

“That won’t work on me now!” He crowed, flexing himself out. “I’ve had plenty of time to prepare for you. You may have driven me out of Lin-Manuel, but not this fresh new body. I’ve been waiting to take this body over for years and now, at last…it’s mine!"

 

 

The Duchess wheezed and tried to get up, only to be thrown backwards and into something hard enough to knock her out.  

 

 

 

Ventress rushed over to make sure she was still alive and then got between “Snoke” and the Duchess.  

 

 

 

“Oh, Ventress…” “Snoke” said with a sigh, “…if only you had just done what you were supposed to do and bore that child…"

 

 

“Is that my purpose? To be an incubator for you?!” Ventress spat. 

 

 

“Well, I would be lying if…” he shook his head. “It doesn’t really matter, my dear, that time is long past. But yes, as you surmised, this is why I was so interested in Kylo Ren. I needed a young, strong body after so long and he was perfect, fertile ground…even after he met you. It was actually amusing to turn him against you, but he fought me until the end, bitterly saying how I couldn’t have you and how much he loved you."

 

 

There was a pause and then a smirk. “I wonder if he will still love you if he knew you were unfaithful."

 

 

 

Ventress froze for half a second, but then she figured if he was going to bring out her dirty laundry, she might as well own up to it.  “You stole Kylo Ren from me. It’s only natural that I would try to find comfort in someone else’s bed."

 

 

 

“Snoke” was clearly unprepared for her actually admitting it, and he staggered backward.  

 

 

 

“If you think I will give him up so easily, you are sorely, sorely mistaken,” Ventress stood up to her full height. She could feel a faint glimmer of something in her heart, something she knew was her lover trying desperately to assure her he was still in his usurped body.  

 

 

 

A derisive snort and then a smirk. “I’ll be back…just you wait."

 

 

 

And with that, he seemed to vanish. 


	83. It's Quiet In Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Duchess lives, but Snoke escapes...

When the Duchess awoke, she was seized with fury. How dare Ventress get in the way and distract her! Snoke had no doubt escaped and with him, her chance to seek revenge was gone. 

 

 

Almost as if on cue, Storm was there.  “She was trying to make sure you didn’t do anything stupid."

 

 

“I waited a thousand years for my chance at Snoke and she RUINED IT!"

 

 

Storm sighed. “Trinity…” she tended to use the Duchess’ name whenever she needed to get through to her friend.  “…and what would you have done if you’d driven him out? Where would he have gone? You weren’t ready for the extraction and she wasn’t about to let a cycle of pain start all over again."

 

 

 

The Duchess paused. She truly hadn’t thought of that. “I…” her voice broke.  “…he used Lin’s voice. He mocked me.  He wore Kylo Ren’s face and skin, but all I could see…was Lin…and I couldn’t see much else.”  The Duchess felt small and inadequate.  

 

 

 

Storm sighed. “Trinity, honestly…"

 

 

 

“I just wanted him to stop using Lin’s voice…to stop talking.” the Duchess admitted. A pause and then she lay on her side in bed. “Go away, Storm…I want to be left alone."

 

 

 

Storm nodded, figuring that her friend was better left to her own thoughts. “As you wish, my lady."

 

 

 

With that, Storm, left, shutting the door behind her.

 

 

There was a long pause and then the Duchess let out a heartbreaking sob before she dissolved into tears.


	84. Say Yes To This

“How is she?” Ventress asked when Storm entered the Duchess’ study. “Is she alright?"

 

 

“She was angry when she woke up, but I think she’s just upset.” Storm sighed.  “She’ll be more or less alright, but now that Snoke has shown himself, we must prepare for a proper extraction. We have to find SOMETHING to put him in otherwise, he’ll be free to cause more destruction and chaos."

 

 

Suddenly, Ventress had an idea.  “There are plenty of Sith artifacts around here. I am sure we can find one of them to bind him to.”  A pause as she thought this over. “In fact, if we bound him to an artifact, we could do something like, say, drop him into the core of a planet and then he’d be gone.” But then, something else hit her.  “Wait…I may have something…” Ventress had brought it with her as opposed to keeping it on her ship.  She cleared off some stuff from the table to reveal the box in which she kept Kylo’s lightsaber.  

 

 

“Where did you get that?” Storm asked. 

 

 

“Kylo gave it to me…I wasn’t sure why he chose this box, but look…” She turned it over and over to reveal words written in Aurabesh, the Sith language.  “Perhaps he gave me this as a clue or as…a way to trap Snoke. We can use this box."

 

 

“Is it even going to work?"

 

 

 

“What do we have to lose?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Hux came to see the Duchess, she told him to discard his usual white uniform and talk a walk with her. The “walk” as it turned out, was to the slums of Shah’s capital city.  Hux did not like this idea, but the Duchess would not be moved. 

 

In the slums, Hux was surprised to see that the Duchess was welcomed warmly into the homes of the poorest. 

 

“It’s the Duchess…she’s here….” Were the whispers on the streets as they went into the home of an old woman surrounded by small children.  “She’s come to check on us."

 

 

“Check on them?” Hux murmured to the Duchess.

 

 

“One of the first things my father ever taught me was to care the most for those who have the least.” the Duchess said. “Whenever I am about to do something that will affect my world, I try to ensure that my people, from the richest to the poorest, will be okay with it."

 

 

“Not that the richest have anything to worry about,” the old woman, named Eli, said.  “They can always leave the planet. We here, we cannot. The Duchess has always made sure we are provided for."

 

 

“If I did, you would not be in the slums,” the Duchess sighed.  “I am sorry I cannot do more."

 

 

Eli waved this off. She then looked at Hux with a critical eye.  “The Emperor of this mighty First Order…” she said in a sage voice.  “…let me guess, my lady. He is your new intended."

 

 

“Things with him and the Lady Rey did not work out. I thought allying ourselves with the First Order would ensure that we are safe.” the Duchess explained. 

 

 

“Like with the Empire.” Eli’s voice sounded very far away for a moment.  “Those were dark times…and I will never forgive the New Republic for how we were treated. You only allied yourself with the Empire out of fear, not because you were wanting to."

 

 

“It’s in the past, Eli.” the Duchess took a sip from a hot mug that was placed in front of her.  She then turned the conversation to other things.

 

 

Hux was unsure why he was there until one of the children tugged at his sleeve and asked, quietly, “Mr Emperor, sir, you are going to treat her nicely, right?"

 

 

Hux, he’d never liked children, not really. But when he looked into large curious eyes, it dawned on him what the Duchess had meant when she said she worried for her people.  She was worried about what would happen to the poorest of hers if she wasn’t there.

 

 

“Of course I will,” he promised.

 

 

And he meant every word. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene in the slums was basically so Hux could understand exactly what it is he's marrying into (and because Hux DOES have a heart, you know...)


	85. The End?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still in the midst of a full on depressive episode. It's making writing hard, so I apologize if this story stops making sense.

Ventress woke alone, blinking sleep and tears out of her eyes.  She remembered how Kylo had looked, possessed by Snoke and she almost wanted to drink herself into oblivion. He looked sickly, pale and those yellow eyes burned into the very depths of her soul, right into the hole the Force Bond had left behind.  It hurt…everything in her just ached. 

 

She took a deep breath and rose from her bed, wrapping the sheets around her, trying to cocoon herself from the persistent ache. Outside her window, Shah’s capital city bustled. She envied the people onboard the transports and in other buildings. It must be wonderful, she thought, to be normal and have relatively normal problems.

 

 

No worrying about cosmic threats, no fearing that your loved one would be a husk, no nightmares of yellow, hate-filled eyes burning their way into one’s very soul. 

 

 

Turning away from the window, she went to the table and picked up Kylo Ren’s lightsaber. Since the box it had come in was being used for other purposes, she had taken out the lightsaber and put it in her private quarters. 

 

 

The chain with his wedding ring was sill wrapped around its handle and she ran her fingers over said ring several times.  Her heart clenched itself in her chest, the pain almost too much.  

 

 

She missed him. With everything in her being and heart and soul,she missed him and seeing what Snoke had done to him did more than just break her heart.

 

It broke something in her.

 

 

 

 

It was the echoes of a scream that caused Hux to look up from whatever holovid he was looking at.  The archives were dark, save for the glow of some lamps and the holocrons and vids themselves, and he was almost positive he was alone.  

 

 

Then the scream got louder and Hux rose from his chair.  But, just as soon as he stood, the room around him seemed to be plunged into darkness.  

 

 

Fire surrounded him then, and he saw an image of Kylo Ren alone in the ruins of a planet beset by lava, Mustafar.  He sees Ventress. He feels the emotion and love between them, but there’s an undercurrent… _Snoke.._ He could feel Snoke’s influence. This was when he had begun to take hold. 

 

 

The fire  seemed to flare up and he saw the Duchess now. She was much younger, screaming in a language he didn’t understand at a black specter….Snoke again. Snoke had escaped from somewhere, and was shouting at the Duchess, who was in tears. 

 

 

There was a flash of light and Hux raised his arms to shield himself, only to see...

 

 

 

…the specter of Snoke showed itself, speaking through Kylo Ren’s body. It is mocking Ventress and she’s yelling and screaming and then suddenly...

 

 

A blade has rammed itself through her chest, cutting off her scream.  Ventress collapses, dead before she even hit the ground.  Her eyes stare up into nothing.

 

 

Hux screams and for a moment, he thinks Snoke hears him.

 

 

 

 

Hux turns and finds himself back in the archives, but on the floor.  

 

 

“Hux?” It’s the Duchess. She comes out from the stacks, concerned.  “Are you alright…did you…"

 

 

He looked up at her for a long moment. There’s something different about her. He can almost feel an aura of sadness and pain around her. It’s nearly tangible, like he could reach out and touch it. It was strange.  “You…you’re in pain."

 

 

She stepped back.  “Pain?"

 

 

Hux thought back to the vision of the Duchess he’d had. She had been cradling a body in her arms.  And then, he put it together. That body was the one of the man she’d mentioned she’d lost to Snoke, a thousand years or more beforehand. 

 

 

“You still carry the pain. You never forgave yourself…” Hux was surprised by this, but at the same time, he knew that ache all too well.  “But you know, it was not your fault. It was all Snoke. He hurt you this way."

 

 

“Hux…how can you…"

 

 

“I don’t know…” He was seeing things, hearing things, things that were strange to him.  Suddenly, he sees the Duchess being impaled by something, her scream ripping through his thoughts.  He blinks and the next thing he knows, he’s on the floor. 


	86. The Force Awakens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...in Hux.

_“Does it bother you? Not knowing who you are or where you came from?"_

_“It used to, but it doesn’t anymore. I left all that behind in Lorthal. Rey, Jakku, Unkar Plutt. None of it matters anymore. I don’t even mind that my family is never coming back…because I have you now. You, Kylo Ren, are my family. Who I was is unimportant."_

Ventress took some comfort in the fact that while Kylo Ren had “left her”, he hadn’t done it on purpose. How was he to know that Snoke was using him? How could he have possibly known the true intentions of Supreme Leader Snoke? How could any of them? 

 

 

“I should have seen this coming…I should have known…” Ventress kept repeating this to herself, but she knew that it was untrue.  The future was ever changing and the Force didn’t always have all the answers.  

 

 

The rush of cool air and sliding open of the door was enough to break her from her malaise. Winter, the Duchess’ bodyguard and spy was there.

 

 

“The Duchess has sent for you. There is something wrong with the Emperor."

 

 

Ventress was surprised.  “…what’s wrong with the Emperor?"

 

 

 

 

Hux’s room was dark and Ventress has a hard time seeing in the darkness, but his voice speaks to her.  “There’s something…off…” he begins, clearly scared. “Ventress, I can see you."

 

 

“How can you…” And then it hits her. That’s why the lights are off.  

 

 

She closes her eyes and focuses. It’s not powerful, not on her level and certainly not on Kylo’s, but it’s there…the Force is in Hux and it’s begun to wake up. She shakes her head, no, that wasn’t quite true. Hux had always had the Force, and it showed itself through his rallying speeches, but he had been unaware, until now.

 

 

“Hux, there isn’t anything wrong with you,” Ventress begins. 

 

 

“…I saw you die…” Hux murmurs, not listening to her.  “I saw the Duchess die…I could feel it just as though I was there…what is that…"

 

 

“That is the Force.” Ventress says, finally getting his attention.  “It’s trying to tell you something.”  She tried to ignore the fact that he said he saw her die. “You have the Force in you, Hux."

 

 

“…I don’t….” he is clearly very scared. “…I don’t want it…"

 

 

“It’ll be okay…” She tried to reassure him.  “I can teach you how to use it."

 

 

The light finally turned on and Hux was sitting on his bed, staring at her.  “I don’t want this power. I don’t want to watch you die. I won’t want to watch her die. Not when she’s been so sad this whole time…” He looks paler than usual, his hands curled into fists in his lap.  “You’ve seen it, right? The Duchess? Her pain? How it follows her like some kind of malevolent spirit?"

 

 

“I have. Hux, you don’t have to be afraid…I can help you.” Ventress sat down on the bed across from him. “The Force is nothing to be frightened of. It’s a gift."

 

 

Hux placed his hand over hers.  He examines her for a moment.  Then, softly, “You miss him. Seeing his face, but not under his control…you want him back."

 

 

Ventress realized that Hux’s force “abilities” seemed to be more empathic in nature and he was reading her feelings, more or less.   She looked away from him. “I..I do…but that’s why we’re here. To save him."

 

 

“You’re running out of time…” Hux murmured. 

 

 

This was something she didn’t want to admit. She kept flashing back to the image of the Duchess, cradling Lin-Manuel’s body in her arms and sobbing.  

 

 

“I’m sorry…” he whispers. “…We shouldn’t have…it wasn’t right. I feel like I took advantage of you and that was wrong."

 

 

“It’s in the past.” She didn’t really want to talk about it.  “It was a one time thing and I know he’ll be angry once he’s back to himself.” She wasn’t looking forward to that.

 

 

“I just wanted to comfort you, that’s all.” he admitted, no longer looking her in the eye.  “I wanted you to stop being sad, even for a moment. Your love for him and his for you…I envy that. I wanted to know what it felt like."

 

 

Ventress had gotten off the bed by this point and reached the door. His confession had left her silent and she struggled to find the words. 

 

 

With her hand on the door, she asks the question she wanted to ask when he told her he’d watched her die.   “Does he kill me? In your vision?"

 

 

He cannot lie to her.  “He does."

 

 

The vision of her being stabbed in the chest floats into his mind and she sees it. 

 

 

…she wishes she hadn’t asked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I am still really deep in that depressive episode, followed by losing one best friend to...well, I will never know why she left and another to some drama that would make "Bad Blood" look slightly tame. It's made writing and a desire to finish this story very, very hard. 
> 
> I honestly don't know if I have it in me to finish this story...
> 
>  


	87. Genghis Khan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recommended listening for this chapter: "Genghis Khan", by Miiike Snow
> 
>  
> 
> With this chapter, we break the 100K word mark! Yay?

After Ventress leaves, Hux decides he needs some air. He puts something on and wanders outside the palace into the Duchess’ private gardens.

 

 

His mind is a whirl with things he can’t name and his heart full of emotions he can’t feel. He knows he pushed his desire for love off on Ventress and probably inavertenly pushed her into doing something they shouldn’t have done (he fully expects Kylo Ren to take his head clean off when he gets his body back) and now, he has this power. A power he doesn’t entirely want, but is forced to accept.

 

 

The cool air feels good and he takes a breath. For the first time since coming here, he feels oddly at peace. He knows he does not truly love Ventress, not in the way she deserves to be loved, but even that realization brings him little comfort. 

 

 

  
_What would you think of me now, Father? Mother? If you knew I had this power?_ he wondered. He figured his lot in life would have become even worse; it was bad enough being Brendol Hux’s illegitimate son and having to fight his way up the ranks for his father’s approval and to escape the whispers about how worthless he is. If it had been revealed that he was a Force sensitive who had escaped Palpatine’s purge…well, he imagined he wouldn’t have lasted very long. But things were different now. 

 

 

Now, he had all the power one man could ever want, but it was a hollow victory.  Hollow, because even with all that power, he still felt like that little boy in the Academy, all those years ago: small, worthless and powerless.

 

 

 

_If Father could see me now, he would still call me a failure._

Hux was pulled out of his malaise by the sound of soft singing. He kept to the path, wandering deeper into the gardens, following the voice until he found...

 

 

 

“Trinity?"

 

 

 

He’d found the Duchess sitting on the ground, leaning up against something made of stone and looking so lost and despondent that her sadness threatened to overwhelm his own. Her hair was in loose braids around her face and she was dressed in a nightgown. 

 

 

 

At the sound of her real name, she looked up. “Hux!”  She then looked embarrassed. “How long were you…"

 

 

 

He knelt down before her and brushed some of her hair out of her eyes.  “Are you alright?"

 

 

 

“I’d lie to you and say yes, but the look in your eyes tells me you know I’d be lying,”  A quiet sigh.  Normally, she was so poised and in control, but now, she was the furthest thing from it.  “I know why Snoke came here.  He wanted to kill Ventress so he can fully consume Kylo Ren’s soul. He figured if Ventress Ren is dead, then Kylo Ren will stop fighting him.  But the other reason…is to kill me."

 

 

“You? But why would he want to kill you?"

 

 

 

“Because I am the only person who can force him out of Kylo Ren’s body. If he’s been cultivating Kylo for as long as I think he has, then I know he’s going to fight to the death to ensure he keeps the body he wanted. He’s not giving it up. So he wants me dead to ensure that no one can do the ritual to shove him out. He knows me. He knows my stubbornness. He knows I won’t let anyone else learn it. So, he kills me, he kills Ventress and that body is his.” She seemed to curl up into herself.  “I don’t know what to do…I feel helpless. I can’t die. If I die, what will become of my planet? Of the people I promised my father I’d protect? The people who count on and depend on my leadership to keep us safe and prospering?” A sob.  “It’s bad enough Snoke has destroyed my life and my one chance at happiness…now he wants to end my life…"

 

 

 

Hux wasn’t sure what to say, but her feelings were all over the place, but what was the most overwhelming was her fear. He put his arm around her and squeezed a little.  “I’m…I’m sure that won’t happen. Ventress and Storm, well, they have a plan…at least I think they do…but I know Storm won’t let any harm come to you."

 

 

The Duchess raised her head and looked at him.  “You think so?"

 

 

“I know so. But I also know you. Well, okay, I don’t know you, but in the time I’ve spent with you, I’ve learned that you are the sort who won’t go down without a fight. Even to parasites."

 

 

 

“Are you…are you trying to comfort me?"

 

 

“Desperately so, but I’m not used to it.” This was foreign to him, but her pain was threatening to drown him and his own pain with her and he just wanted to make her feel better.  A pause. “I’m sorry. Did I make it worse?"

 

 

“No…not really.” She rested her head against his shoulder.  A pause. “What are you doing out here, anyway?"

 

 

He wondered why she waited until now to ask the question, but brushed it off.  “I heard you singing. I just wanted to know where it came from. I was out here for air. But then I saw you crying and….I just couldn’t leave you out here."

 

 

“You are a far kinder person than your reputation suggests, you know,” she’d stopped crying by this point and was sniffling and dabbing at her eyes with a sleeve.  

 

 

“I’m not my father, no matter what I tell myself at night.” It hurt to admit that to himself, but it was true.  “I will never be my father…but maybe, that’s for the best.”  Before she could open her mouth and ask what he meant, he stood up and pulled her to her feet.  “We should go back inside. You’re not safe here alone."

 

 

“But I’m not alone,” she says, pulling him around to show him that what they’d been sitting by was an above ground crypt. Above the door was the name “Lin-Manuel”.   There was a sad smile on her face. “Lin is here. He is with me."

 

 

Hux was reluctant to say anything in response to that, as he found that strangely touching, but he tugged her hand anyway.  “Yes, well, I still don’t think you should be out by yourself if you’re so convinced Snoke is going to try to murder you."

 

 

The second tug pulled her into his embrace and they stayed like that for a long moment before she said something, making no move to pull away.  “Hux, if I asked you to try to protect me, would you do so?"

 

 

“Of course,” She’d asked him to let her take Ventress’ place in the wedding, after all. “I’m not very powerful, but I can fight. And since you’re going to be my wife, I feel bound by duty, honor and affection to protect you from harm.”  It wasn’t until he said it that he realized the “affection” had slipped in and then he blushed.  

 

 

The Duchess blinked, then smiled. “Comforting,” she tells him, slipping out of his arms.  “I am afforded the very best in protection. I can rest easy.” She turned to lead him out of the gardens.   “Follow me now, Hux. We wouldn’t want you to get lost."


	88. A Fleeting Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The italics are necessary.
> 
> And look! Reylo's back in the game!

_Ventress has seen this scene before.  Two figures standing on a catwalk, high above a chasm, both bathed in red light and darkness._

_However, the last time she saw this, she was an observer._

_Now, she’s the one facing down Kylo Ren on that catwalk._

_Surprisingly, he speaks first. “I know what you did with Hux."_

_She opens her mouth to defend herself or at least say something, something akin to “It was a one time thing” or “I know” or..._

_“…I don’t blame you or him for it. I blame myself."_

_She didn’t expect that.  “Kylo…"_

_“Instead of listening to you when you begged me to look inside your heart and see your intentions, to believe that yes, you loved me, even as you played Empress to be, I pushed you away. I shouldn’t be surprised that you found comfort and relief in the arms of him. I wish I could have taken it back and listened to you.” He looked up at her and he looked lost and afraid.  “Now…I am using all of my limited power just to reach you."_

_She had been expecting him to be mad about it, to be angry with her about it.  She expected retribution. What he was saying was the last thing she thought he would say.  “..I…I…Kylo, I…"_

_“You don’t need to say anything,” he said, stopping her from trying to speak.   “I just…I wanted to see you with my own eyes, speak to you in my own voice…Ventress…I love you."_

_“I thought you’d be angry…” she says at last. “I thought you would be furious, enraged at the idea that was unfaithful to you."_

_“How can I be when I was the one who pushed you away? How can I be mad at you for making a decision? I cannot hate you for making your own choices. For looking for comfort when you needed it. Am I hurt? Yes. But I cannot control you and it is pure arrogance on anyone’s part to assume that I can.”  At some point, they had moved closer together and he ran his gloved hand through her hair._

_“Kylo…are you still…are you…” Her eyes were wet._

_“I will find away back to you…” he promised. “We **will** be together again. I love you, Ventress and I will fight him for as long as I have the power to do so.”  He kissed her forehead then and smiled a sad smile. _

Ventress jolted awake, tears in her eyes. Her heart twisted and clenched and she gasped for air, throwing off her bedclothes. Her mind was in a whirl. Her chest felt tight. She felt like she was drowning. 

 

 

Despite her panic and pain, a single thought crystalized in her mind, clear as day.

 

 

_KYLO REN WAS STILL IN HIS OWN BODY. AND HE WAS FIGHTING._


	89. Kill La Kill

Ventress awakes once again to the smell of caffe and the sounds of someone moving around in the sitting room. Pulling out her lightsaber, she rose from the bed and was about to charge into the sitting room when the door opened to reveal a tall man with brown hair, piercing blue eyes and…oddly, a silver, cybernetic left arm. When he saw her with lightsaber in hand, he immediately raised both his hands in a gesture of surrender. 

 

 

“Who are you and what are you doing in my room?” Ventress asked, igniting her saber. “If I don’t like the answer, I’ll cut off your head."

 

 

 

“We have not been formally introduced,” the man said, keeping his hands up. “My name is Winter. I serve the Duchess as her eyes and ears and occasionally, her muscle. I brought the Knights of Ren here."

 

 

Ventress put down her saber as she remembered. She had seen him before, but he’d never introduced himself.  “So, you’re her spy?"

 

 

“In a manner of speaking,” Winter says.  “But that is not why I am here. I am here because of Snoke."

 

 

“Snoke?"

 

 

Winter gestured to the sitting room.  “I have something for you. Something important."

 

 

 

The something important turned out to be a cup of caffe and, to Ventress’ shock, the book that had the incantation to remove Snoke.  “How…how did you…"

 

 

 

“Storm and I, we have been with the Duchess for a long time, relatively speaking…and we are concerned. She becomes incredibly irrational whenever Snoke comes up and believe me, he HAS come up before. I am worried for her. I don’t know if she will be able to compose herself long enough to do what has to be done,” Winter sighed.  “I know that is your lover in there and that you have a serious personal stake, but…"

 

 

“I can do it,” she interrupted him. She was thinking of the last time, of how shaken the Duchess had been when Snoke had spoken to her in that voice and how enraged she’d quickly become.  Opening the book and carefully turning its pages, Ventress Ren, wife to Kylo Ren and Mistress of the Knights of Ren, was filled with a newfound resolve.

 

 

Kylo Ren was fighting to get back to her. She would fight in return to bring her lover back. She would fight to give the Duchess the happy ending the woman deserved and the mental peace she had long sought. 

 

 

 

Winter gave her a hard look, his blue eyes sharp and calculating. “Are you sure?"

 

 

 

Ventress looked up to pin Winter with a glare.  “I can. And I will."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...the depressive funk I seem to have found myself in is not going away guys, so the writing will be slow going. 
> 
> If it feels like I am stalling it's because I am. I am running around in circles trying to figure out how to end this story and doing it without a beta (and I could probably really use one). 
> 
>  
> 
> Also, in case anyone didn't catch it on, Winter is based very much on the Winter Soldier.


	90. Bonus Interlude: Armitage & Trinity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If the stuff from the EU is true, then Armitage Hux is Hux’s real name, so we’re going to use that.
> 
> Okay, so there is a three month time jump between the ending of the last chapter and the beginnings of the chapter after this. 
> 
> This chapter is sort of a bonus chapter to showcase the Duchess and Hux's relationship so I wouldn't have to rush through it and to showcase one of the beginnings of the end of the story. I'm still plotting out the ending, so this is going to take a while...
> 
> Also, forgive the slight political posturing by the Duchess.

Calling off the engagement to Ventress and announcing his intention for a political marriage had been surprisingly freeing for Hux. It had been good to put his feelings for Ventress out of his heart. They’d caused him (and her) nothing but pain and sorrow and he was definitely not looking forward to Kylo Ren ripping him a new one whenever they managed to get him back into his body.

 

 

When Hux thought about it, he supposed that he would probably deserve it. It had been wrong, on both their parts. But he would deal with it once Snoke was gone and Kylo Ren was back to his old, annoying self. In the meantime, he would enjoy getting to spend time with and getting to know his new bride to be, the Duchess. 

 

 

He would sit in on many of her meetings and she even allowed him to sit in on one of the sessions of her government. He wanted to get a sense of how she ruled, how she worked and he was very surprised to find that she was as brilliant and compassionate as she was beautiful. She absolutely refused to allow the “haves” in her government to take from the “have nots”, for one thing, nor would she allow herself to be played or treated as though she was an ignorant child. She was the Queen of Shah, it was her family that had brought the planet from civil war to prosperity and peace and she made damn sure that people knew it. 

 

 

It was during an impassioned argument she was making on behalf of the poorest that really made Hux sit up and take notice. 

 

 

There had been some argument over taxes and the Duchess was pointing out that the richest could afford to pay their fair share, for the common good, for the good of all people. One member of the senate had the audacity to accuse the Duchess of caring more for the poor than for the rich. The stunned silence that fell over the chamber was enough to let Hux know that the man who had spoken was in some very deep shit. 

 

 

The Duchess looked stunned, then her eyes darkened considerably.  “And I suppose you believe that we have no obligation to help those in need, to use our wealth and power for the benefit of all, not just a few,” she began, standing up to address the senator who’d spoken.  “When I was crowned Queen, I made a promise, not just to those in power, but to those without power. I promised I would do whatever I could to ensure that every being, be they human, alien or droid, had the right to live their lives in comfort and safety. The wealthy have plenty of money, more than enough to pay their fair share and still keep what they have. I refuse to take more money from those who have little. And for the record, Senator, I do care more about the poor, the powerless, those in the slums. I do that because as ruler, I am tasked with caring for all citizens, but I am also keenly aware that if things for Shah go south, it will be the poorest who are hurt the most, not the wealthiest. And if things go very, very, very badly for us the way I have seen them go for other planets…if I fail to do what I feel is best and to stop caring, it will be OUR heads they come for. Tell me, Senator, how well do you think revolutions tend to go for the more powerful?"

 

 

Hux felt his jaw fall to the floor.  

 

 

Silence fell over the chamber. 

 

 

“This government services ALL, Senator,” the Duchess stated, voice cold. “Not just the wealthy and powerful. Not just the poor and powerless. ALL. It would do you well to remember that…and perhaps stop accepting bribes while you’re at it?"

 

 

 

In the turbo lift after the meeting, Hux could not stop expressing his admiration for the Duchess and her way of governing. He’d never seen anything like it before. Normally, the First Order took and conquered.

 

 

“And that is how Palpatine failed,” Ventress says once Hux has stopped gushing. “Palpatine thought he could rule through fear, conquering, and force. My father thought differently. He saw what civil war had done to our planet, what revolution, dictatorships and empires had done to others. He believed in peace, prosperity and that it should be shared equally. Shah is not Utopia, but he and I, along with Mother and our government, have spent a long time trying to make this world as good a place as we can. My father would tell me of an old proverb: ‘the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few’. I try to keep that in mind when ruling. It may sound like self preservation, me protecting myself from revolution, but I would rather be remembered as the Queen who did right by those who counted on her and be mourned…rather than my death be celebrated.” She gave him a look. “How do you think it went throughout the many world Palpatine crushed or subjugated when the news arrived that he was gone?"

 

 

Hux fell silent for a moment and then he cleared his throat.  “It seems I have a lot to learn about ruling."

 

 

 

The two grew closer after that, with the Duchess acting as his teacher in all things political, but also preparing him for his dual roles as Emperor to the First Order but also Prince Consort. It was a lot harder than he thought it would be, but the Duchess was a capable teacher. 

 

 

 

Slowly, Hux began to notice that her emotions were changing towards him. Whereas she had once been guarded and only let him in a little, her heart became more and more open and he found he was responding in kind to it. There was a warmth and brightness in her eyes as she spoke, the malaise that had hovered over her vanishing slowly. And he was surprised to find he was feeling the same in return.

 

 

He wasn’t sure what to make of it, but he knew it was far different than what he had felt for Ventress. 

 

 

 

“Trinity…” Hux tended to use her real name whenever he had something to tell her that he felt was important. “..I must…I feel…I need to talk to you about something."

 

 

“Oh?” the Duchess stopped walking long enough to turn and look at him. The two were exploring her gardens, particularly a set of gardens full of a variety of a flower called roses that she’d gotten from some distant star system. “About what? Your lessons?"

 

 

“No, not that…it’s about…” he hesitated. “…my feelings."

 

 

 

The Duchess raised a dark eyebrow.  

 

 

 

“Hear me out, please,” he begged. “I’ve noticed, over the weeks we have spent together…I feel things for you. Things beyond simple fondness and lust, things different than what I thought I felt for Ventress. Something is different, I just..I can’t…I can’t dare to believe it, but I think I may have fallen in love with you."

 

 

 

Her eyes widened at this and he immediately regretted saying anything. 

 

 

 

She was quiet for a minute and then, her lips curved into the hint of a smile. “I was starting to wonder if you were going to say anything or if I was going to have to say something for you.”  Her smile grew wider. “You sensed it too, my feelings, your feelings…"

 

 

“When Ventress hasn’t been doing, well, whatever she is doing, she taught me how to read people through the Force, since my abilities seemed to be more akin to an empath than anything else…I noticed 

you’ve changed over the past few weeks. Everything about you has become brighter, more radiant. I just…” He was having difficulty speaking from his heart. Hux wasn’t used to it, even if he had done it with Ventress. But the Duchess wasn’t Ventress.

 

 

 

Her smile warmed then. 

 

 

 

Hux found himself smiling back. “You…you feel the same?"

 

 

 

“Yes,” she says, eyes sparkling. She then looked around before taking his gloved hand in her own and pulling him deeper into the rose garden where they would be safe from prying eyes. Once they were surrounded by the roses, he found himself staring into dark eyes that seemed to sparkle. Reaching out with his still new powers, he was surprised by how warm and bright she was now and how much joy his confession brought her.

 

 

 

“I was hoping you would be the first to confess,” she tells him, taking his hands in hers. “I just wanted to hear you say it before I made a fool of myself. It has been such a long time since I’ve allowed myself to feel this way…I didn’t want to say something to you and then have you reject me."

 

 

 

Hux was baffled as to why anyone would reject such a vibrant, glorious woman, but he chose to hold his tongue. 

 

 

 

 

“I have had many lovers, Hux, but only a select few, namely, two, have ever been able to win my heart. Lin Manuel was the first…and you, surprisingly, are the other.” Her smile only grew. “So, yes, I believe I am in love with you, as well."

 

 

 

One could have knocked him over with a feather.  His face turned nearly as bright red as his hair.  

 

 

 

The Duchess found this adorable and stood on her toes to kiss his nose, which only made him blush deeper. He then looked into her eyes, leaned down and kissed her softly. 

 

 

If he focuses enough, he can feel the joy and warmth flooding her being, chasing the last of her malaise away.

 

 

The kiss lasts for a few blissful moments, before they both hear Storm’s voice.

 

 

“My lady? Are you out here?"

 

 

The Duchess clung to Hux for a moment, not wanting to go back to the business of being the Duchess right away. She wanted to continue to kiss Hux and bask in the fact that their marriage was no longer just political. It would be a love match.

 

 

Storm’s voice got closer. “Trinity? I know you’re out here!"

 

 

The Duchess sighed before pressing a kiss to Hux’s mouth again. “Come to my chambers tonight,” she whispers against his lips before pulling away and leaving their little hideaway to go greet her bodyguard.   

 

 

Hux was left alone in the rose garden, still as red as the roses (and his hair), but smiling. 

 

 

 

 

That night, Hux dressed himself in a white robe and made his way to the Duchess’ bedchambers. He is almost to her doors when he is stopped by Storm.

 

 

“Emperor?” 

 

 

Hux goes pale.  He isn’t sure if the Duchess had informed her bodyguard of what had transpired in the rose garden. He knows Storm is very close to the Duchess and he hopes she won’t try to stop them.

 

 

“Storm,” he says, turning to face her.

 

 

Storm’s eyes seem to mirror her name as she strides to him. She’s much shorter than him, but her presence  is enough to make her appear to be much taller.  She sets her jaw and says, “If you hurt Trinity, in any way, if you break her heart, I will rip yours clean from your chest. Am I clear?"

 

 

He has no trouble believing that she is capable of such a thing. He nods.

 

 

“Good. I’ll leave you to it.” She then turns and head off, leaving Hux alone in front of the doors to the Duchess’ room. 

 

 

 

Hux inhales sharply, but then turns and opens the large double doors.

 

 

 

The Duchess’ room is lit by candles, which give a soft glow reflecting the floor to ceiling windows that give magnificent views of the palace grounds, but what draws his attention the most is the canopy bed in the center of the room. It is covered in a sort of thin material and he can make out a figure waiting for him behind the curtains.

 

 

“I apologize for being late, your Highness,” Hux bows his head. “Storm found me in the corridors."

 

 

“And knowing my dear Storm, she probably threatened you,” the Duchess says, chuckling. “She is more than just a guardian, she is my dearest and closest friend…and she just wants my happiness and comfort.” 

 

 

 

“I would never hurt you,” Hux promises. “I would sooner kill myself before allowing any harm to come to you, my lady."

 

 

“You can drop the formality,” the Duchess says. “It’s just us, Hux…"

 

 

“Armitage…” he corrects her.  

 

 

“Armitage?” she sounds slightly amused. He’s not surprised. 

 

 

“My name,” he inches closer to the bed, “…is Emperor Armitage Hux."

 

 

 

“Armitage…” she purrs and Hux nearly comes undone. “What an interesting name…"

 

 

“I could say the same for you, Trinity,” he chuckles, pulling open the curtains at the foot of the bed.

 

 

 

What he sees takes his breath away.

 

 

 

The Duchess is lying in the center of the bed, surrounded by sheets in a variety of flattering jewel tones. She’s wearing a simple white nightgown, which accentuates her rich brown skin. She smiles at him and he notes how different she looks when she’s not “presenting”. 

 

 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without makeup on,” he comments. “I think I prefer you this way."

 

 

 

“A Queen must be presentable,” the Duchess beckons him to come to her side, “And in my case, presentable, means wearing makeup. Not as much as those Queens on Naboo, mind you, but enough…"

 

 

Hux discards his robe and climbs onto the bed to lay beside her. He cards fingers through her hair, which was long and wavy, a change from her usual braids. “You look beautiful as you are, right now. I’ve never…I’ve never been allowed to be in the presence of someone as radiant. Ventress glows, but it is with power. Your glow is so different…” He let the desire to keep her radiance all to himself die on his lips.

 

 

The Duchess silences him with a kiss. 

 

 

When she pulls away, shyly, his hands move to the straps of her gown. Their eyes meet. 

 

 

“May I?” he asks, wanting her consent.

 

 

“You may,” she murmurs, before kissing him again. 

 

 

 

 

 

It is days before anyone besides Storm sees either of them.  Hux almost wishes they could spend every day in the Duchess’ room, with him in worship of her beauty and radiance, determined to give her pleasure. He wants to give her everything she could ever want or desire.

 

 

“If only every day could be like this…” Hux murmured, his lips ghosting over her neck, peppering little kisses. “No annoying governments, no nosy people asking questions, nobody to tell us what to do…just you and me.."

 

 

 

“It would be nice, a life away from prying eyes…” the Duchess mused. “…away from our titles. We can just be Armitage and Trinity and be like everyone else.” She carded her fingers through his hair. 

 

 

 

Just as he was about to reply, there came a knock at the door. “Your Highness, are you decent?” It was Storm. 

 

 

 

 

“Just a moment, Storm!” The Duchess rose from the bed to put on a loose robe and Hux covered himself up.  No sense in exposing himself to people all willy nilly. 

 

 

Once the Duchess was dressed, she opened the door.  “Storm, good morning. What news?"

 

 

“The good news is that Snoke hasn’t left the planet. The bad news is that Winter and I cannot find him. Winter has a network all over the planet and yet, he cannot figure out where Snoke is hiding."

 

 

“I see…” The Duchess’ mood rapidly shifts. Hux can feel it. “Then we will need to use Ventress."

 

 

“She’s not going to like the idea of being used as bait,” Hux warns from the bed. 

 

 

“And I don’t want to use her as bait, either. However,we have to force Snoke to reveal himself somehow and that means trying to force Kylo Ren to surface long enough for us to find him…assuming, of course, that he is still in there."

 

 

Storm sighed. “Should I fetch her?"

 

 

“No,” the Duchess says. “I'll go to her."


	91. The Man Trap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said at the beginning of the previous chapter, three months, long enough for Ventress to memorize the incantation, have passed between "Kill La Kill" (chapter 89) and "The Man Trap" (chapter 91). 
> 
> And now we have the beginnings (finally) of the endgame.

As Hux had predicted, Ventress decidedly did not like the idea of being used as bait.

 

 

“So, let me see if I have this straight,” Ventress is saying when Hux enters her room quietly, wondering what had been keeping the Duchess.  “You want to use me as bait for a trap to lure Snoke out of wherever the heck he’s hiding?"

 

 

“My intelligence network…"

 

 

“You mean Winter."

 

 

“…has been unable to locate Snoke and the network covers the entire planet. There is very little I do not know. But I do know Snoke hasn’t left the planet. I also know that he is going to try to kill you. He is going to try to kill you to make it easier for him to consume Kylo Ren’s soul. Kylo Ren won’t fight him if you’re dead.” Hux had to admire the Duchess’ ability to remain calm. 

 

 

 

“So your grand plan is to try to INVITE him to kill me!” Ventress’ fury was almost at a boiling point and it was enough to overwhelm any Force Sensitive in the room with her.  

 

 

 

The Duchess sighed, and that only made Ventress angrier.

 

 

“If you’re so convinced that he’s still out there why don’t you use yourself as bait?” the Mistress of the Knights of Ren snapped.  

 

 

 

Hux couldn’t bear it. “Because I won’t let her!"

 

 

 

Ventress turned around to face him. She was silent for a long, tense moment, as her eyes took in Hux in a black robe and then she looked at the Duchess with a white robe and quickly put two and two together.

 

 

 

The Duchess cuts Hux off, narrowing her eyes. “Armitage, you do not LET me do anything…” 

 

 

 

“Okay, then, I don’t want you to get killed by him,” Hux says. “Frankly, I would prefer it if NEITHER of you used yourselves as bait…” He was cut off by Ventress, already enraged, Force Shoving him out the door. It slammed so hard it nearly broke.

 

 

 

Ventress turned on the Duchess, then, her rage leaking out of every pore.   

 

 

The Duchess set her jaw and drew herself up to her full, regal height. “I cannot be the bait for the trap. I have others to think about, namely an entire planet full of people who count and depend on me to lead them. Believe me, if there was another choice, I wouldn’t be asking you!"

 

 

Ventress remained silent.

 

 

The Duchess’ eyes narrowed.  “Do you want Kylo Ren back or not? If you do want him back, and love him as much as I think you do, then we need to find out where Snoke is hiding. He won’t come out unless provoked. And the longer we wait, the less of a chance you stand of getting him back. It took me years to find Lin Manuel after Snoke stole him from me and by the time I did, it was too late. I couldn’t save him. I could purge Snoke from his body but as I have told you before…all that was left was an empty shell.” 

 

 

The Mistress of the Knights of Ren’s eyes widened at this. 

 

 

“If you want to lose Kylo Ren forever, that’s your choice,” the Duchess says, turning to leave the room. Her voice is colder than Hoth on a bad day. “I didn’t really want to ask you to be bait, but since I cannot do it, I figured your love for Kylo Ren would spur you to try to save him. I apologize for making such an assumption.”

 

 

 

Ventress cleared her throat. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it."

 

 

 

The Duchess paused.

 

 

 

“I don’t like this idea…” Ventress began, “…but i’ll do it.”  A pause. “I want Kylo Ren back. More than anything…and I will do anything to get him back in one piece. Or I will die trying.”  

 

 

 

“I see…” the Duchess nodded. “Then we have an agreement."

 

 

 

Ventress sighed. “What do I have to do?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The persistent depressive fog I've been stuck in all year finally cleared long enough for some writing, so you get a new chapter!


	92. Infiltration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Miss me?

Kylo Ren was running out of time. His ability to break through Snoke’s grip was slipping more and more each day. It was only a matter of time before Snoke took over his body completely and Kylo Ren was determined to stop that from happening. Even though he no longer had control over his body, there was something he had control over: the Force Presence. He could easily alert Ventress to Snoke’s presence.

 

Kylo knew that the Duchess had been looking all over the damn planet for Snoke and that the formidable ruler would do anything to find him. It was only fair that Kylo Ren did his part to help out.  Focusing all of his limited energy, Kylo Ren located his beloved in the Force and reached out to her. He touched their severed Force Bond and held on for dear life. 

 

 

_Ventress, please….hear me. I know where Snoke is hiding…_

Funnily enough, it is not Ventress the warning reaches first.  

 

 

Hux is aroused from a nap beside the Duchess by a familiar presence. It’s dark and malevolent and turns his stomach and he can’t place it right away, but it’s strangely familiar. Like he’s been in it before...

 

 

Kissing the head of his new fiancé, he crawls out of bed to find Storm. Something about this presence bothers him...

 

 

Just as he finds her, he realizes, with shocking, sickening clarity, the identity of the presence. 

 

 

“Emperor?” Storm noticed the wild, panicked look in his eyes.  “What is it?"

 

 

“Whatever you do, do not let the Duchess out of your sight, not even for a second…” Hux’s fear is rising. “….I know where Snoke is. The reason you haven’t been able to locate him is because he’s not hiding on the planet…he’s hiding in the palace!"


	93. Sound & Fury

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My depressive funk has finally broken and I feel better than I have in ages, so that means more writing. And that also means that FINALLY, the long journey to the end can come to fruition.

Storm was livid. “HE’S WHAT?!"

 

Hux was positive that if Storm could control the weather, the entire palace would be caught in a hurricane.  “I have a feeling that I intercepted something meant for Ventress, but I've felt this presence. It’s Snoke. I’ve been in his presence before. He is here in the palace. I don’t know where, but he is here."

 

 

Storm’s eyes were full of rage. “HOW!?"

 

 

“I wish I could tell you…” Hux was trying not to look panicked. “…Storm, do not leave the Duchess alone. I only left her because I had to find you. He’s going to try to kill her. I have to find Ventress or he’s going to kill her too."

 

 

“She’s in her room,” Storm replied. “I’m going to the Duchess. What should I tell her if she asks about you?"

 

 

“The truth."

 

 

 

 

It was the tugging at her severed Force Bond that awoke Ventress from another night of restless sleep. She hadn’t felt anything from the Bond for ages and suddenly, she felt something pulling at it. Her heart ached. 

 

 

_Kylo..._

_Ventress…Snoke…he’s here. In the palace…he’s going to try to hurt you…you must get leave! You have to run._

_No! I will not run! It’s going to be alright, Kylo…I’m going to save you._

_I’m running out of time…we’re running out of time…Ventress..._

Something in her clings desperately to him at the other end, not wanting to let go, not after so long of being unable to feel him. _No, please, don’t go, please, Kylo…_  


The bond is severed once more and Ventress is alone. Ventress sobs, trying desperately to reach out to him, but there was only silence. He was lost to her once more.

 

 

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door of her room and Ventress sits up in bed, covering herself.

 

 

“Ventress? It’s Hux. Let me in!"

 

 

 

“The door’s unlocked…” Ventress wipes her eyes quickly. 

 

 

Hux bursts into the room. He looks paler than usual and there’s look of utter fear in his expression.  “Oh, thank goodness you’re okay."

 

 

“What’s going on?” Ventress is confused. 

 

 

“Snoke has infiltrated the palace. He’s coming for you and for the Duchess. I cannot let you out of my sight, even for a second."

 

 

“How did you…how did you know that?” she’s now very confused.

 

 

“I think…I think I may have intercepted something in the Force meant for you…a warning…Snoke has somehow gotten into the palace. Storm is furious. But he’s going to come for you. I promised Kylo I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. I intend to keep my promise."

 

 

“You can’t protect me from something like Snoke, Hux,” she ignores the wounded look in his eyes.  “You’re not strong enough."

 

 

“I made a promise. I intend to keep it.”  He bit back the urge to ask her if she believed herself strong enough to take on and possibly kill the man she loved. He couldn’t protect anyone if he was dead.

 

 

 

 

When the Duchess entered her private siting room, Storm was screaming at someone via holicron. 

 

 

“WHAT AM I PAYING A SECURITY DETAIL FOR IF NONE OF YOU WERE ABLE TO STOP SNOKE FROM ENTERING THE PALACE?” the Duchess had long since learned Storm had a nasty temper, especially when it came to security.  “How did he get in? Where is he?"

 

 

“Lady Storm, we’re not sure how he got in the palace or if he’s even truly here. The area where most of my soldiers have sensed an unsettling presence is the one area where we are not allowed to go. The Royal Tomb.” One of the security chiefs looked like he might wet his pants at any second.  “We could break protocol and enter, but none of us want to be the ones who disturbs such a sacred area."

 

 

The Royal Tomb was the final resting place of the Duchess’ parents, King Ghassan and Queen Regina. After the Civil War that had placed them as rulers, they’d constructed a special tomb for them and their descendants and included memorials to all of their fallen relatives. It was a very sacred place, and one only the Duchess herself was allowed to enter. 

 

 

Storm opened her mouth to speak when the Duchess interrupted.  

 

 

“You believe he’s in the tomb?” the Duchess’ voice was very soft. 

 

 

“Your Highness!” the security captain looked slightly relieved that the sight of her.  He bit his lip. “Yes, your highness…we think he’s probably hiding in the tomb. If you want us to go in there…we will."

 

 

“You cannot go down there and face him, Trinity,” Storm knows that if the Duchess entered the Tomb alone, she would not leave it alive.  “He is here to kill you."

 

 

“It’s bad enough that he stole my chance at happiness and love. Now he has to infiltrate my palace, my home and disturb my parents in their graves?” the Duchess wouldn’t stand for this.  She’d had enough.  “No. I will go down there. Snoke has gone far enough with his reign of terror and misery. Either I will put a stop to it or I will die trying."

 

 

 

“Trinity, please…"

 

 

“No, Storm. This ends today."

 

 

 

With that note of finality, the Duchess swept from the room.


	94. Trinity

It was the sight of Snoke-In-Kylo-Ren’s Body leaning over the grave of her father that nearly did the Duchess in.  She had tolerated so much over her long life, but the sight of the man who had singlehandledly managed to ruin not just her life, but the lives of countless others through manipulation and treachery almost drove her to the brink.

 

 

“It’s been a long time, hasn’t it, Trinity?” His voice mocked her. “When did your father pass away?"

 

 

“Before the Clone Wars,” she answers, voice tight. “Why are you here, Snoke? Haven’t you caused enough people problems? You got what not even Palpatine could achieve…"

 

 

“Oh, yes, the rise of the First Order was a proud achievement of mine…” Snoke stepped fully out of the shadows now. The eyes of his host body were a sickly yellow color and he flexed his muscles experimentally. “…but harvesting this body after years of waiting and anticipation…that was my goal. The grandson of Darth Vader, my new body. If only you knew how good it feels…"

 

 

Disgust twisted the Duchess’ features. She could see, behind the poison of Snoke’s influence, what had drawn Ventress to Kylo Ren. It was actually her first proper look at the man behind the mask. She could feel the power in the Force, see the handsome face, and if she focused, she could even spy a little bit of the man the Ventress had loved so dearly underneath.  

 

 

 

“What you see before you Trinity, is the product of several decades of hard work,” Snoke says, ignoring the look on her face. “He was ripe for the picking, a vulnerable child with parents who cared, but not enough to stop me from whispering. He fought me so bravely, but in the end, he fell. He was mine, but then he brought that girl…she ruined everything. So, I had to take him sooner than I wanted to, but no matter. Once I am done with you, I will be done with her.” A smirk and then his voice changed.  “You’re like me…you’re never satisfied…"

 

 

All of the color drained out of her face at the voice he was using. Now he was openly mocking her.  

 

 

“And I am here to make sure…” he pulled something out of the folds of his robes. “…that you never will be."

 

 

 

 

 

By the time Hux, Ventress and Storm reached the tomb, it was eerily quiet.  There was no sign of the Duchess or Snoke anywhere. Storm was immediately on alert, pulling her lightsaber out from the folds of her robes.

 

“Stay behind me…” she instructed.

 

 

“Storm, you can’t take him on by yourself…” Ventress had had experience dealing with Snoke before and she knew that as powerful as Storm was, it was nothing compared to whatever level of power Snoke had managed to obtain since hijacking Kylo Ren’s body. “He’s much too powerful."

 

 

Hux spotted the blood first as he rounded a corner to the tomb of King Ghassan and his voice caught in his throat. “…Trinity…” And then, his faced turned even whiter than the stone around them.  “Oh no…"

 

 

“What?”  Storm panicked. 

 

 

Hux fell to his knees next to the King’s grave and when he got back up, he had hoisted the body of the Duchess in his arms and was holding her close. He pressed his forehead to hers and began to cry.

 

 

The Duchess was unconscious, limp in his embrace. Blood dripped on the floor beneath her. It was the only sound in the tomb for several long seconds. 

 

 

Storm nearly shoved her lightsaber into the doors. “That son of a bitch!"

 

 

Ventress was pale at the sight of this.  “Is she…is she dead?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually going at a better clip than I have in a while. Feel free to hate me.


	95. A Tale of Two Force Bonds

Hux felt like something in him had been severed as he gently moved hair away from her lifeless face. He cried softly, feeling a pain he had never felt before in his life. He didn’t quite understand what had happened, but he knew….Snoke had done this to her.  He wanted so badly to preserve the body he’d stolen that he’d murdered for it. He’d murdered the Duchess. And it was only a matter of time before he came after Ventress.

 

 

“I’m sorry I could not protect you…” he murmured, but then he looked up and glared at Storm.  “…I do remember telling you not to let her out of your sight, didn’t I?"

 

 

“Hux…"

 

 

“DIDN’T I?!"

 

 

“She made the choice to come down here, knowing full damn well he would kill her,” Storm spat, trying not to let herself cry over the loss of her only friend.  

 

 

“Are you blaming her?” Hux accused.  “Are you trying to tell me her death is her own fault?!"

 

 

“I’m telling you she made her own choice…” Storm’s voice trailed off.

 

 

Hux turned his head away, only to feel something pulling at him. It felt like someone was holding onto his soul. Suddenly, beneath his head, the Duchess’ chest rose and fell in a shaky breath.  “Trinity?"

 

 

There’s a cough and then, her voice says very quietly,  “…he’s injured."

 

 

“Trinity!” Hux was overjoyed, brushing something away from her lips. “What happened?"

 

 

“What happened is not important, but he is injured..” Her voice is weak.  “I managed to hurt him, but could not stop him…"

 

 

“Save your strength…” Hux murmured. “…we’re going to get you help."

 

 

 

 

The Duchess had been badly injured by Snoke, but she’d somehow managed to survive by playing dead. In the fight that they’d had, she’d managed to reopen a “mysterious old wound on his side”, in her words, that left him hindered. Hux kept vigil by her bedside, not wanting to leave her alone. 

 

 

Ventress knew exactly what was going on. She could see it, clear as day to anyone with Force Sensitivity. She could see the thread connecting them.  

 

 

“You see it too, then?” Storm was standing beside Ventress, watching Hux softly kiss and talk to the Duchess.  “Their bond…"

 

 

“It’s a Force Bond…” Ventress thought of her own bond with Kylo Ren and her heart ached. “…but how?"

 

 

“The Duchess is Force Sensitive,” Storm explained.  “She’s only not a Jedi because her parents refused to allow her to become one. She was their only child. Her place was here, as their heir. From what I have been told, and from the records, they were never able to have another child."

 

 

The conversation was cut short by the Duchess calling for Ventress. “Ventress, I know you’re there. I must tell you something.” Her voice was weak, but Ventress could hear it.

 

 

“What is it, your majesty?” Ventress sat on the bed on the other side of the Duchess and took her hand.  

 

 

“Call me Trinity…” the Duchess said. “I think you’ve earned the right to,” a cough.  “Listen to me and listen closely. Snoke has not left the palace, but he’s injured and I was able to weaken his grip on Kylo Ren. Kylo Ren is still in there, but you need to lure Snoke out. I tried the incantation, but all it did was weaken his grip. In my haste and lust for revenge, I forgot an important hitch; the ritual can only successfully be performed by someone close to the host body…and nobody is closer to Kylo Ren than you. I know you have the book. You just need to finish this. Finish him. Don’t let him ruin someone else’s life. Lin-Manuel and Kylo Ren, they were but hundreds of vessels he’s stolen. Not everyone has the strength to fight back. You do."

 

 

“You should be…it should be you. You told me yourself that you’ve waited over a thousand years for your revenge,” Ventress wasn’t entirely sure about this.  

 

 

The Duchess’ lips curved into a smile a little.  “I have…and it also brought me untold amounts of misery. After Lin-Manuel died, I closed off my heart to all who were not my parents. I realized that I could never again marry for love, so I decided to not marry at all. I took countless lovers into my bed, many many suitors and buried my pain and grief. My parents understood, but I think it broke them to see me in such pain and be unable to fix it."

 

 

If Ventress focused on the Force, she could see the Duchess’ pain and her heartache.  “I know a little of what that’s like."

 

 

“When Mother died, I closed myself off even more. I saw the pain her death caused Father. They’d been together for millennia by the time she passed away. It almost destroyed him. And then, as the Clone Wars began, I lost him as well and the threat of the Empire scared me into submission. I was alone and afraid and then, you arrived and brought the First Order with you…” her voice trailed off. “I thought I would never see or hear from Snoke again. But to find out he’d managed to make himself the leader of the First Order almost killed me, I was consumed. Everything I had buried since the day I put what was left of my love in a grave came right back to the surface."

 

 

Ventress nodded.  

 

 

 

“I should apologize for being so cruel to you,” the Duchess continued. “I had no right to speak to you in such a harsh manner. I know how much it must hurt you to not be able to reach Kylo Ren. But I assure you, he is still in that body."

 

 

“How do you know?” Hux didn’t meant to interrupt. 

 

 

“I got through to him….that and I’m not dead. If Kylo Ren wasn’t in there, I would be very much dead. It’s how I was able to crack the hold Snoke has. There’s still time. There’s still hope."

 

 

On her other side, Hux clutched the Duchess’ hand tighter.  “You should go. Ventress. Go find him,” he says, eyes focused on the Duchess. “I can take care of her.” He pressed a kiss to her fingers as if to reaffirm that statement.

 

 

 

The Duchess was surprised at such a tender gesture from someone so incredibly ruthless.  “Armitage…"

 

 

Ventress wisely said nothing and turned and left the room. Storm followed her a few minutes later. 


	96. Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...several months and a nervous breakdown later...

The last thing Snoke expected to see standing in the way of him and his escape off Shah was the fiery red blade of Kylo Ren’s lightsaber. And it surprised him more when he realized who was holding it.

 

 

Ventress, soaked to the bone as it had started to rain, stood up as tall and strong as she could. Her grip tightened on the handle of the lightsaber.  “Did you really think it would be that easy?” she asked, trying not to sound as scared as she felt. 

 

 

“It’s cute how you think you’re going to win,” Snoke spat. “Mark my words, Ventress, only one of us is going to get out of this alive.”

 

 

“That’s right.” Ventress replied. “And it’s not going to be you. You will give me back the man I love…or you will die with him," A deep inhale and she began to chant. The words came quickly, flowing through her, through the Force. 

 

 

Snoke panicked as he felt his grip on this body, the very body he had spent years cultivating and harvesting, loosen.   He knew those words and he feared them.

 

 

_“Relinquish your hold and return to the Force! Go back to the depths from which you came! Leave this place! Leave this body!”_

The last time he’d heard those words spoken, it had been the voice of the Dutchess, trying to save her beloved from being forever trapped, speaking them. Now, he was faced with the same situation, so he decided to do something different.

 

 

Ventress knew she was running on borrowed time the second she felt her airway start to constrict. But she kept speaking. Either Snoke was going to die or she would. 

 

 

“Return to the Force, to the Dark Side…” Ventress gasped, dropping the lightsaber. “…Return to where you came….leave this body, leave this plane….”

 

 

His grip was loosening. “NO!”

 

 

Ventress, refusing to go down without a fight, spat out the very last piece of the incantation out with her very final breath before unconsciousness took her.  “…return to the Dark Side, Snoke…go back to where you came from!"


	97. Free

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter is short.

_“Return to the Dark Side, Snoke! Go back to where you came from!”_

Snoke screamed as Ventress finished the incantation, his hold undone. Suddenly, Kylo Ren felt to his knees and seemed to vomit black ooze and smoke. He heaved as the ooze poured out of him, caking the walkway in a flood of darkness. 

 

It seemed to go on for ages, but at the end of it all, Kylo Ren, for the first time in forever, had control of his own body once more.

 

 

He blinked, coughing and sputtering, his eyes gazing upon the black, oozing mass before him.  

 

 

This was Snoke’s true form. As the Duchess had said, it was little more than a parasite. 

 

 

Kylo ignored it for the moment and went to the prone form of Ventress, lying unconscious just beyond the ooze.  He picked her up and held her close to him, tenderly kissing her forehead. 

 

 

“You did it, my love…” he whispered. “I’m free.”

 

 

 

The ooze, which now had seemed to form into two malevolent glowing eyes and a pile of…well, ooze, seemed to glare at the.

 

 

“How dare you…I MADE you…”

 

 

Kylo’s lightsaber ignited.  “Yes you did. But you’ve outlived your own usefulness.” A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he repeated the last words Ventress had said.

 

 

“Return to the Dark Side, Snoke. Go back to where you came from,"


	98. Together Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your continued support of my story. We're almost done now.

Ventress awoke slowly to the feeling of a warm, familiar presence settled in her heart. Her eyes blinked open and she touched her heart and sat up in bed. She could scarcely believe it..."Kylo..."

 

 

"My love, I am here..." 

 

 

And there he was. Standing in the doorway of her room, staring  at her, eyes full of love... _Kylo Ren. Freed._  She'd never seen something so beautiful before in her life.

 

 

Without thinking, she leapt out of bed and into his waiting arms. 

 

 

"I thought I'd never...I...I..." It was suddenly hard to breathe. “I thought you’d never come back…”

 

 

He didn’t say anything. He just held her close to him, cherishing the warmth of her skin, the smell of her hair and just the feeling of holding her again. It had felt like an eternity, trapped in his own skin, unable to act on his own.  Being able to hold her again, to touch her, to be with her and to have full control of himself was a miracle and he was going to treasure every second.  He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

 

 

“I knew you’d find a way,” he murmured. 

 

 

She pulled away from him. “Oh, don’t thank just me…you need to thank the Duchess! She helped find a way to free you.”  A pause and then her eyes went wide. “Oh, wait…you have no idea who that is…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just as she said that, the door to Ventress’ private quarters opened and in came Storm.  “The Duchess requests your presence,” she said, trying to hide a hint of a smile. 

 

 

Kylo stared at Storm for a long, quiet moment.

 

 

Storm stared back and then, as if answering an unspoken question, said, “Palpatine never bothered to look for Jedi who left the Order entirely, you know.”

 

 

“So, you actually ARE a Jedi?” Ventress asked, realizing what Kylo was thinking.

 

 

“I was…in another lifetime,” Storm replied. “But that is not important now,” She turned to Kylo Ren.  “The Duchess is very interested to meet you, Kylo Ren. We’ve heard a lot about you.”

 

 

“The Duchess?” Kylo let Ventress go.  “The woman who helped free me?”

 

 

It was now dawning on both Storm and Ventress that Kylo had been basically asleep in his own body most of the time and had had little awareness of his surroundings and where he was while Snoke had been in control.  

 

 

“Yes,” Ventress replied. “Don’t worry, she’s not scary or anything…trust me.”

 

 

Kylo looked down at Ventress and then back at Storm. If Ventress had trusted her, then he supposed he could as well.  He nodded his head. “Alright…then let’s go meet her.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

As they were lead to the Duchess’ chambers, Kylo took in everything around him with wide eyes. Shah reminded him a lot of the old holo-vids of Courscant in the days before the Empire , everything was bustling and busy, even the palace. He held onto Ventress’ hand as they went, trusting her to not let him get lost in the hustle. 

 

 

Sooner than expected, they were in front of a set of black doors in a more private area and Storm had told them to wait there.

 

 

Kylo was suddenly very self conscious. He wasn’t wearing his helmet to hide his face and he kept trying to fix his hair to cover his scar. Ventress stopped his hand.

 

 

“Don’t worry about the scar,” she said.  “You look fine.”

 

 

He kissed her fingertips. “I’ve missed hearing you say that,”

 

 

She gave him the tiniest hint of a smile as the doors opened.

 

 

“The Duchess will see you now,” Storm said, ushering them both into the Duchess’ private quarters. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The massive sitting room was of great interest to Kylo, who chose to wander around, taking in all the Sith and Jedi artifacts the Duchess had on display.  “She’s quite a collector…” he remarked, studying a statue closely. “Where did she get all these things?”

 

 

“She’s very long lived. I imagine she’s had some of these things since they were new,” Ventress replied. “I never thought to ask her where she got them, it just never came up,”

 

 

 

 opened his mouth to say something when Hux suddenly entered the room, causing him to stand up straight and look him in the eyes.

 

 

“Good to have you back, Kylo,” Hux said earnestly right before Kylo punched him square in the jaw.

 

 

“I TOLD YOU TO PROTECT VENTRESS, NOT SLEEP WITH HER!” Kylo yelled. 

 

 

Hux rubbed his jaw, slightly unphased. He knew he had that coming.  “I apologize for overstepping my boundaries. I only sought to give her comfort and we both went too far.”

 

 

Ventress bit her lip, feeling guilty. 

 

 

 

“She was inconsolable,” Hux explained, hoping to avoid the business end of Kylo’s lightsaber.  “And I only wanted her to stop crying ease her pain…but there’s no excuse…”

 

 

Kylo raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to say more when there was a small cough behind him.

 

 

He turned around to see a stunning woman with rich dark skin, dressed in black and gold. She raised her eyebrow at him and then smiled.

 

 

“Kylo Ren, we meet at last,” she said. 

 

 

“Who are you?” Kylo asked.

 

 

“I’m the Duchess,” the woman replied. “And I would LOVE to know why you just punched my fiancé in the jaw.”

 

 

 

“He hit me, love, because I deserved to be hit,” Hux replied. “Don’t worry about it.” Hux straightened out his white robes and went to her side. “Kylo Ren, this is Queen Trinity of Shah, or as she prefers to be called, the Duchess. She’s the ruler of this planet and instrumental in helping us rescue you.”

 

 

Kylo, remembering what his mother had taught him about how to behave, bowed.  “It is a pleasure and an honor to meet you, your Majesty.”

 

 

The Duchess blinked and then she smiled, “The pleasure is all mine, Kylo Ren. It’s nice to finally meet the real you.” A pause. “But what became of Snoke?”

 

 

“Oh, don’t worry…” Kylo Ren thought of the screams of terror as he had hacked the oozing form into bits and then dropped them into the nearest machine he could find. “We’ll never hear from him again.”  Then his expression changed and the Duchess sensed he must have had a million questions.  

 

 

“Why don’t we go sit down and have a meal and I will tell you everything you need to know,” The Duchess replied. “Come with me. We have much to discuss."


	99. Growing Strong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaaaaaccckkkk.

Time passed. 

 

The First Order kept its grip across the universe thanks to the leadership of Hux, who gamely held things together in the wake of Snoke’s defeat.  The official story ended up being that Snoke had simply died of old age, with only Hux, the Duchess, Ventress and Kylo knowing the true story.  Nobody questioned it, as Snoke had been more of a figurehead and Hux had planned for such an event happening ever since he rose in the ranks. 

 

 

The Duchess and Hux married in a lavish ceremony attended by all sorts from across the galaxy.  According to Storm, it was the happiest the Duchess had been in a very long time.  Ventress got to be the maid of honor, while Kylo (reluctantly)  served as best man. 

 

 

For the first time in a long time, a sort of peace had fallen for all. 

 

 

And then, one warm morning Ventress woke Kylo up in their room on Shah and asked him a question.

 

 

“How would you feel about us going back to Naboo and just…disappearing?”

 

 

“What do you mean?” Kylo rose up on his elbows to look at her.

 

 

“I’ve been thinking…back to that time we spent on Naboo…I thought, maybe it’s time, that we sort of…retire and go live there.”  Ventress was twisting the bedsheets in her fingers as she spoke.  After everything with Snoke, after all she had endured, she found that all she wanted once she had Kylo back was to have a quiet life with him.   “…ever since you came back, since the wedding…I began wondering if maybe its time we hung up our lightsabers, left the Order….start over. A quiet life. Just you and me.”

 

 

His eyes widened, then softened and then he reached out to brush some hair away from her face.  “Is that what you want, my love?”

 

 

All Ventress had ever wanted back on Jakku was a family. She never did find her family, never learned who left her behind, but it did not matter. She had Kylo Ren, the Knights, Hux and even the Duchess now. She had created her own family. 

 

 

“Yes. More than anything.” 

 

 

Kylo smiled at her and then kissed the tip of her nose.  “All right,” he agreed.  “A quiet life it is."


	100. Honeymoon

_~5 Years Later~_

 

 

“Padme! Padme, you come back here right now!” Kylo yelled as he chased a small girl through the sunlit hallways of his grandmother’s old residence.  “You’ll mess up your dress!”

 

 

“Catch me, Papa, catch me!” The girl laughed and giggled, turning a corner only to be swept up into the arms of Ventress, who managed to catch her before she ran out onto the balcony. She laughed as she was lifted up into the air.  

 

 

“Your father is right, dear…” Ventress kissed her young daughter’s cheek. “We don’t want you messing up your pretty dress before our guests arrive.”

 

 

“Yes, Mama,” Padme agreed as Ventress put her down. 

 

 

 

Ventress and Kylo had taken their “retirement” in Padme Amidala’s old residence in Naboo’s lake country.  Sometime after they left the First Order, they finally had their daughter, whom they named Padme, after Kylo’s grandmother.  

 

 

 

Padme was now a lively, 4 year old girl and she brought much joy into the lives of her parents, with Kylo desperate to love her the way he wished he had been loved as a child, and Ventress just happy to have the family she’d always wanted.  Not that many years before, it had felt like a distant dream, but now, all her dreams had come true. 

 

 

Kylo sighed and leaned over to kiss Ventress’ cheek. “She’s a handful. I hope she can behave herself.”

 

 

“Oh, she’s been perfectly fine whenever we do take guests and you know she loves it when the Duchess visits,” Ventress wasn’t worried.  “She calls her Auntie Duchie and everything… and she knows how to act around guests thanks to you…”

 

 

“I was the son of a Princess, if I didn’t know how to behave, it would have humiliated Mother…” Kylo sighed as he watched Padme run out the door and then his expression changed. “Padme!”

 

 

“Auntie Duchie is here!!!” Padme  yelled, running out the door to the boat landing, her long brown hair flowing behind her. “Auntie Duchie! Uncle Huxie!”

 

 

Just as Kylo was about to use the Force to stop his daughter from running right into the lake, the Duchess stepped off the boat and intercepted the young girl.  “What a wonderful welcome!”  The Duchess smiled and lifted Padme high into the air. “Hello, Padme!”

 

 

“Hi, Auntie!” Padme gave the Duchess a big hug as they walked up the stairs to the house. “Did you bring me anything!”

 

 

“Padme, you know better than that!” Ventress chided as the Duchess, followed closely by a paler than usual Hux, put the girl on the floor.  “Such questions!” 

 

 

“Not today, sweetheart, but I do promise to bring you something nice for your birthday,” the Duchess replied with a smile. 

 

 

“Aw, okay…”Padme pouted for a minute and then she twirled around, to show off the dress. “Do you like my dress? My great-grandma had one just like it!”  The dress was a pale yellow color with flowery embroidery and her hair was done up in loose buns.  

 

 

 

“Oh, yes, it’s very pretty…you look just like her, too.” The Duchess replied with a smile. 

 

 

“Thank you!” Padme smiled.

 

 

“It’s good to see you again, Duchess…” Kylo said, formally bowing a little (old habits died hard).  “And you too, Hux.”

 

 

“I’m impressed with how well you fixed this place up,” Hux replied.  “Wasn’t it kind of a mess when you came?”

 

“No, since it was my grandmother’s and she was a very beloved person, even now. Even with her family mostly gone, this place never lacked upkeep,” Kylo replied. “It was ideal for us. Ventress thinks its beautiful, it’s quiet and peaceful and it’s been ideal to raise Padme.”

 

 

The Duchess smiled at this, noticing how different Kylo was now. It was like he was an entirely different person.  “Why don’t you show us around?”  She suggested. 

 

 

Kylo just about beamed with pride. “I’d love to!”

 

 

 

Later that evening, Ventress tucked Padme into bed, the girl worn out from the adventures of the day. 

 

 

“Good night, darling,” Ventress kissed her daughter’s cheek. “Sweet dreams.”

 

 

“Good night, Mama, good night, Papa…” Padme mumbled sleepily as Ventress turned off the light. 

 

 

“Good night, Padme,” Kylo murmured as they left the room and shut the door.  He then looked at Ventress. “She’s growing up too fast.”

 

 

“You say that every day,” Ventress teased. 

 

 

Kylo looked at her for a long moment and then kissed his wife, passionately, deeply.

 

 

When they broke apart, Ventress’ face was flushed. “What was that for?”

 

 

“For giving me everything I could have possibly wanted,” He replied. “I love you, Ventress.”

 

 

“And I love you, too, Kylo.”

 

 

 

_~FIN~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost two years to the day I first began this journey and right before the Last Jedi comes out, I can finally say this story is finished. It's been long, and ridiculous and it got off the rails and maybe things didn't turn out how I planned, but I am still so happy to complete this story. 
> 
> I would like to offer my sincerest thanks to each and every single reader for your kudos, comments and endless support, even when I wasn't actively writing. It means so much to me to know that this story was liked. Thank you for saying with me until the very end.
> 
>  
> 
> If you would like to follow me on twitter, my handle is @starkillerqueen


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